Fall
by Alku04
Summary: (ON HIATUS. See profile for info) ::Post ROTK:: When Aragorn & Gimli track down slave traders, they are horrified to see that Legolas has been captured & is being sold for pleasure. It is now up to friends to help him through his ordeal, but can they keep the prince from fading? Slightly AU. Rated for rape & tense emotional situations. Mainly emotional Hurt/Comfort story. No slash.
1. Chapter 1

_**Lots of notes and disclaimers before you read:**_

_**I own nothing of J.R.R. Tolkien's or Peter Jackson's works. I am just borrowing everything to write how I want for entertainment only.**_

_**This is a Legolas rape fic, but was not meant to be a graphic smut story. If the idea bothers you at all, then please don't read it. Don't get me wrong, there will be **__**some **__**gory, vivid details that pop up to give an anchor on the feelings and trauma, but the act itself will be kept to a **__**somewhat**_ _**minimal portion.**_

_**This is also not a slash fic. I wanted to write a story that dealt primarily with heavy, emotional hardships and as an elf, I think the worst thing to be put through is being taken by force. I know the argument that an elf **__**would**_ _**die from it, but can't we pretend that it could be countered with the right love and support? I would like to think so.**_

_**This story starts off as a "hurt comfort" story then progresses and deals mostly with the emotional trauma associated with the act.**_

_**With all of the above said, Legolas is not going to be the strong happy elf we all know him to be... He will still be stubborn (as many others portray him to be), but given what Legolas has been through, he will not be quite himself. (can you blame him?)**_

_**Writing is my form of entertainment so the story will meander at times. I have no length set so I think this will become a long story. Afterall, if this did happen, I'm sure that a week of pats on the back and a few conversations would fix everything completely. An emotional wound this large will take a long time to heal…. and a long time to write. If you like to read fast paced works, you may grow tired of this quickly. Also know, the first couple of chapters are kind of rough as I tried to get in the swing of writing. (this is my first story) Any feedback for a re-do at any point is welcome.**_

_**This story will use bits from both the book and movie version, but will primarily follow the movie version.**_

_**This will also be slightly AU since I am not very clear as to what happened after the war of the ring. I mean, I do know **__**some**_ _**details, but others are kinda unclear in my research. For instance, I'm pretty sure that the elven realms stayed a while after the war of the ring, but how long, relocation, when peopled sailed, who took over… honestly I felt like I was studying for a history exam. While I tried to stay true, I am sure there are a bit of inaccurate facts. But hey, it's only Fanfiction!**_

_**I also like to believe that Legolas and Aragorn have known each other for a long time as the last Hobbit movie suggests. This idea is even present in the LOTR movie at the council of Elrond; it is Legolas who reveals Aragorn's true identity as the lost king of Gondor. Unless the two were very good friends, I do know know why he would do that… However, I am not the only one to believe this too, so like many other stories that are out there, Aragorn and Legolas will be very close in my story, like brothers.**_

_**Well I think I am done with the blah blah blah… on to the story!**_

* * *

Chapter 1

* * *

It was a chilly fall evening and dusk was descending on the small town rather quickly. In the distance, large, billowing clouds were disappearing with the sunlight that was painting the darkening sky in hues of pink and golden orange as they slipped from sight along a ridge of mountains to the west. The stars were waking up, twinkling ever so faintly in the dimming light and the near full-moon was large on the horizon. Its light was battling that of the sun and as it won, it began to cast a silvery glow on thatched rooftops and brick buildings. Heavy rains earlier in the day caused the dirt streets of the town to become sloppy and thick with mud and deep puddles reflected the moonlight, making the streets appear to be strewn with glass.

The town was busy with shopkeepers and merchant carts selling food, drink, tools and various other items to both townspeople and travelers as the day dwindled down. Children ran home for the evening meal as the shops were closed up for the night. Friends and neighbors bid each other a good night before they too headed home. Those who were using the town as a stopping point in their journeys were seeking out places to stay for the night while taking note of the best places to get a hot meal and a quick drink.

Among the bustle, two odd companions traveled together. A tall man in dark clothing was walking through the streets, dodging the large puddles and deep mud. The hood of his black leather overcoat was pulled over his face obscuring most of his features, but he walked with an air of dignity. His shoulders were set and his gait, though choppy due to the conditions of the streets, was smooth and confident. His gray cloak trailed slightly behind him and every now and again, a flash of metal could be seen at his hip as his long, broadsword reflected the soft moonlight.

The other traveler was a stout being and rather than dodge the puddles, he trudged through them. A sturdy silver helmet with intricate gold scroll workings along the brim rested on top of his head and a long, thick, reddish-brown beard covered much of his face. A hefty double-edged axe was placed at his back as it rested on top of his grey cloak. Rather than carry a sword at his waist, another smaller ax was strapped to his hip.

"Aragorn... Are ya' sure we've got the right place? I mean you've never lead us astray before, but this does not seem like a place where we will find our men!"

Aragorn chanced a glance behind him at the dwarf who was looking skeptically about the streets. "I know not Gimli. This place is new to me. But I'm hoping that we can at least find some information that could take us to our next lead."

"Well, I still think we should wait for the elf!" He called out in a thick, rolling accent.

The man smiled to himself as he pushed onward to the heart of the town. "We have waited long enough Gimli." The human called out behind him as he walked around another large puddle. "Legolas' journey was longer than our own. As I have said, he was coming from Northern Ithilien. He is most likely still traveling and will not meet up with us for at least another day or so."

"Right. But I think we're wastin' our time! I hate to admit it, but we're at a large disadvantage without those pointed ears of his."

"We need to see if we can find any leads Gimli. I will not risks letting these slave traders get away from us yet again. They have to be stopped. They have been kidnapping my people for far too long and selling them as slaves. I do not know how they seem to evade our attempts to catch them, but I will not rest until these men are stopped. It is my responsibility to ensure the wellbeing of my people, and these men are jeopardizing the safety of everyone. Besides, we do not know if Legolas even got the message, or if he agreed to meet up with us."

For years now, the king had been receiving reports of a small group of kidnappers coming into Gondor and taking anyone prisoner to sell as slaves to whomever was willing to buy. Countless men, women and children were all taken away and the kingdom was growing more and more uneasy as the King's armies were not able to put a stop to the mad men that were still on the prowl. All attempts to catch the men proved futile. Finally, Aragorn had enough and the king decided to take matters into his own hands.

He knew that he could not accomplish this mission alone, but taking a group of soldiers with him would spook chatty towns folk and their positions would be given up, so he decided to take only those who he knew would help bring these men to justice.

Gimli, a dwarf, was already in Minas Tirith visiting the King when the decision was made to set out and stop the mad men. The stout being had traveled from his realm in the Glittering Caves near Helms Deep in hopes of rejoining his friend and seeing how Aragorn's kingdom fared and to brag about his own. One night, the two friends settled down to catch up in a great hall lit by a fire and smoke their pipes. A messenger stepped into the hall and quietly delivered news to the king about a raid that took place earlier in the day and a large quantity of people were kidnapped.

After he dismissed the messenger, Aragorn filled Gimli in on the events that had been taking place and voiced his concerns. His frustration was evident in his voice as the man recalled the numerous times his armies tried to catch the thieves but to no avail.

Aragorn's thoughts drifted to that fateful night and he smiled beneath his hood as the events replayed in his mind.

* * *

_"And ya' say your men have not caught these bastards yet?" The dwarf looked concerned as he thought about the news Aragorn had just told him._

_"No. I have sent armies and spies where all of this takes place but no arrests have been made. I have troops stationed around the whole area but it's as though they know exactly where we are and what we are going to do. We just can't stop them."_

_"Then why don't ya take matters into your own hands? You were able to track a pack of orcs across the Misty Mountains and through the plains of Rohan to save the halflings Merry and Pippin just a few years ago! I'd say you are one of the best trackers in Middle Earth! Ya' know what they say... if ya' want somthin' done right, the best thing to do is take matters into your own hands." The dwarf took a long draw from his pipe._

_The man contemplated the dwarf's words. He knew he couldn't just up and leave his kingdom, even if it was to help it. Besides, he had his own family that needed him. Arwen surely would not let him go and he was reluctant to leave his infant son, Eldarion. He didn't know how long it would take, but the statement was replaying over and over again in the man's head. Why couldn't he do this? He was an ex- ranger and was once the leader of the Dunedain. He could take care of himself and could wield a sword better than most. He had his Steward, Faramir, who was more than capable of running the kingdom in his absence._

_"You know Gimli, that is a fantastic idea." Aragorn stated. "If I can track them, I can put a stop to this."_

_"Ya mean 'we'." The dwarf corrected as he took another puff from his pipe._

_"We?"_

_"Precisely!" Excitement was keen as the dwarf stood up with a wide grin on his face as he volunteered himself to the cause. The dwarf paused for a moment, deliberately choosing what he said next. "...and you shall have my ax!" He exclaimed._

_The man looked at the dwarf with a broad smile on his face remembering the last time he heard those words. Though they were directed at another person and the mission more dire, the meaning was all the same. "And I would love nothing more! Dôlzekh menu! (dwarvish for 'Thank You')"_

_The dwarf let out a rumbling laugh as the excitement built in the smaller being._

_"Come! Let us prepare for our journey! We will need supplies and weapons-"_

_"Now wait just a moment!" The dwarf cried out. "What about the elf?"_

_Aragorn raised an eyebrow at the dwarf. The statement seemingly came out of nowhere and he was not following what the dwarf meant._

_"What about the elf?" He questioned back._

_"He should come! It will be like old times, eehh? Besides, I want Legolas to witness how many I can add to my score! I bet this time I can put him to shame!"_

_Aragorn's eyes squinted as he thought. Score? Suddenly he remembered the orc-slaying contest the two had during the battle at Helms Deep and it's continuation when the War of the Ring took them into Gondor._

_"Like old times..." the man smiled as he repeated the dwarfs words. "But Legolas isn't even here. He is in Ithilien."_

_"Then send him word and have him meet us out there!"_

_The man though for a moment. It would be great to see his long time friend again. Legolas Greenleaf, whom the human had known most of his adult life, was more than just a friend, Aragorn considered him to be a brother. Once Crown Prince of the Woodland Realm in Northern Mirkwood, Legolas was now residing in Ithilien with a decent contingent of elves, predominantly from Mirkwood, helping to restore the broken forests to their former glory that the War of the Ring destroyed just a few years prior._

_"Well?" The dwarf asked again as the man did not respond to the eager request._

_With a sigh, the man looked at the dwarf. "It would take days for word to get to him. We don't have that kind of time! We need to act now."_

_"Then send word by air! Send it by water! Strap a piece of parchment to the back of a fox for all I care!"_

_The man snorted at the excitement the dwarf had. "Very well. I will send word to Legolas. I'll have a messenger falcon deliver word to Ithilien and if Legolas can make it in time, then -"_

_"Then he will be sorry he ever showed up 'cause I plan on not lettin' that pointy-eared-elven-princeling add one mark to his score!"_

* * *

The memory faded and Aragorn turned back to the dwarf who was trailing behind him. "Besides, I thought you didn't want Legolas to improve upon his score."

"I do want him here so he can watch *_me_* have all the fun!"

Aragorn and Gimli had reached the town at dusk the previous night, and waited for the elf to join them. However, he did not show up. The pair suspected that the heavy storms and major landmarks had delayed the elf in his trek, if he agreed to join them. But Aragorn had become restless; through their travels, he had picked up a rather disturbing trail and he suspected that it was made by the men they were after. After stopping at many smaller towns along the way, their leads pointed to this very town. The longer they waited, the more the king feared the slavers would evade them yet again.

Gimli was right, they desperately needed Legolas at time like this. They had planned on walking the streets of the town and try to eavesdrop on conversations of passerbys or sit in a tavern and see if anyone would spill any information that could lead them to the slavers. Legolas' sharp hearing and keen eyesight could put the trio at an advantage. But since they had no word from Legolas, or he must be delayed in his journey, Gimli and Aragorn had no choice but to do their best without him.

Sliding into one of the back streets, Aragorn found what he was looking for; A tucked away tavern. It was just the type of place the slave traders would seek out. He pushed the door open and walked in with the dwarf close behind.

The atmosphere of the tavern assaulted the former ranger and he had almost forgotten what these places were like. He often visited taverns and bars in the north when he was out on patrol with the other Dunedain, but it has been years since he had done this and he was taken aback briefly. The dimly lit tavern was actually larger than it appeared from the streets. It was warm and stuffy inside as the smell of stale mead and pipe tobacco filled the room. Dozens of people were packed inside trying to order food and drink while talking amongst one another. At the far corner of the tavern, a group of men rose from a table. They slapped some coins down on the rough wooden surface to pay for their drinks and began to laugh and joke amongst themselves as they staggered out of the bar. Aragorn quickly made his way over to the table to claim it for themselves.

Gimli sat down across from the man. He removed his helmet and made himself comfortable. This was going to be a long evening. Presently, a woman stopped by their table. She collected the empty mugs that were strewn about and began to wipe at the spilled ale with a rag in her hands. She pocketed the money and turned to the new guests with a haphazard smile on her face.

"Welcome to The Dragon Fire Inn. What'll it be gentlemen?" Her welcome was rushed as she tried to accommodate everyone in the place. She seemed to be the only one working here.

"We will take two pints. That will be all." Aragorn stated as he placed the order with the woman. She nodded and began to walk off but was stopped as a gruff voice of disbelief piped up.

"That'll be it? Just two pints? I don't know about you, but I'm starvin'!" The dwarf looked at the lady with a smile on his face "What do you have in the way of food m'lady?"

"Well..." she leaned on the table and wrinkled her brow as she thought about the menu. "We have a pig roast with vegetables. Rack of lamb with rice, brisket and cornbread, hot biscuits with gravy, ..." The waitress went on to list out the various items that the tavern served. Once she was done, the dwarf placed a small order of food to keep himself content for the time being.

"Anything for you hunny?" She turned back to the man.

"Just the pint. Thank you" He replied.

The woman looked at him cautiously for a moment but then walked away to the kitchen to place the order of food with some unseen worker in the back. She retrieved the drinks and set them on the table, then went about her business to tend to the other guests, refilling mugs and running food to other tables.

Aragorn took a swig of his drink and began to reach into his pack and pulled out his pipe and tobacco. As he prepared his pipe, he began to talk to the dwarf. "I do not have a name or a description of these men, but I'm hoping that we can find out where slaves are sold in this area. We might have to travel to a neighboring town, but I do believe we are in the right place to start." Aragorn lit his pipe and puffed on it for a while.

"And we are goin' to sit here until someone mentions anythin' suspicious?" Gimli asked as he too got a pipe from his vest and lit it up.

"Correct." The man stated.

The food was brought out to the dwarf and he began to chow down. He was too involved with his food to worry about other conversation, so for a majority of the time, Aragorn was the only ears of the bar.

The two sat in silence for hours, listening to the conversations that took place around them. It seemed that the occupants of the bar were friends and neighbors; good folk who had just stopped by to have a drink and partake in the camaraderie of each other's company. Hours passed and people came and went. The same topics of discussion were brought up time and time again. Aragorn and Gimli could almost predict how the conversions would go; There would be some talk about the rain they had earlier and if this was any type of a preview, they were in store for a long harsh winter. One man would boast about his good fortunes and would try to offer advice to anyone who would take it. The others would get rather sloshy and would rant and ramble in drunken speech that only made sense to one another.

But as the hours dragged on, the tavern took on a different feel. The townsfolk had all gone home, and a gruff, more reserved crowd seemed to flood the bar. The light and merry atmosphere had morphed to a more dangerous air.

The woman made her way back to the man and the dwarf who had several drained mugs and empty dishes at the table by now.

"Another round?" She asked as she gathered a few of the mugs. Aragorn nodded in agreement and she walked off to fetch more mead. On the way back, she passed a table of dirty men who looked to be travelers. One of them reached his hand out and grabbed the waitress by the waist and drew her into his lap.

"Well my lady you've been working hard. Why don't you take a load off?" The man sneered. The woman gave him an uncomfortable smile while she kept her cool. She tried to stand up but the man would not let her. "Rather, I have something hard, would you like to take my load off?" All of the men at the table burst into laughter at the crude joke. A snaking hand made it's way up her body and reached for one of her breasts, but she smacked the hand away before it could be reached.

"If you would *_please_* excuse me! I have more impressive *_loads_* to tend to!" She spat her reply to the man before she stood to her feet and huffed off. The stunned men looked at each other before another roar of laughter was ignited.

The woman returned to the table where Aragorn and Gimli were seated and placed the mugs on the table before them. Her cheeks were flushed and she kept her eyes downcast as she grabbed the last of the empty mugs that were left on the table. She made her way back to the bar to dispose of the dirty dishes. Her path took her back toward the table of rowdy men as she squeezed between the occupants of the tavern.

One of the travelers was a thin grubby man, who had far too much to drink. He eyed the waitress as she made her way past him. His clothes were dirty and dark and his light colored hair was greasy and stringy from months of not bathing. It hung around his face and was snagging in stubby facial hair that grew in odd patches about his cheeks and chin. He had a sharp nose and his eyes were yellowed suggesting that he had spent many years smoking and drinking. The dirty man reached out and pinched the passing waitress' bottom through her skirt.

The woman whirled around and landed a well deserved slap across his face, pushing the man's head aside slightly. Once the shock wore off, he stood to his feet and grabbed her by the shoulders and began to shake her.

"You little bitch!"

Aragorn, jumped to his feet in an instant and quickly closed the distance between the traveler and himself as the man raised his hand to strike the waitress. But before the man could swing his arm, a strong hand clamped down on his wrist, stopping the forward motion.

The man looked at the stranger who held on to him and peered into the shadows of the hood that hid most of the stranger's facial features. He was slightly surprised to find angry, silver eyes glaring at him, daring him to make another move and warning him to back down.

Aragorn's voice was low and full of disgust as he addressed the traveler. "Touch her again, and I will be more than happy to drag you out of here, tie you to a tree and leave you for a warg toy."

The traveler looked Aragorn straight in the face as he tried to pull his arm from the strong grip.

"Will you now?... Sir, do you have any idea who I am?" The man spat.

"No, nor do I care. I do not make idle threats so leave her alone unless you would like to explain who you are to a pack of filthy wargs."

The traveler squinted and pursed his lips. He did not like to be challenged, but something told the man not to push his luck. With a shove, he let the woman go and snatched his arm out of the firm grasp. He sat back down with a huff.

"Eehh, I've had better... Hell I've had better tonight and it wasn't even a woman you filthy whore! You hear that?! A man is prettier than you!"

Aragorn sat back down but kept his eye on the rowdy bunch. The traveler turned his attention to the table where the man and dwarf sat and pointed a grubby finger directly at Aragorn. "Do that again, and you will see the light of day from your shallow grave."

Gimli stood to his feet, but Aragorn reached across the table and stopped the dwarf before he could further anger the travelers.

"Pay them no heed Gimli, they are hardly worth our time."

Reluctantly, the dwarf plopped back down in his seat, mumbling under his breath.

The man called out to his fellow companions in a mocking tone. "Look! He has a trained pet! He can sit! I wonder if he can do any other tricks?" The men burst out in a roar of laughter. Gimli let out an angered growled as he sprang to his feet once again.

The travelers looked at the irate dwarf which only fueled their amusement. By this time, the other men were eager to cast their own insults at the two and they began to speak up.

"Hey! You better keep 'em on a short leash! Pets aren't allowed in taverns!"

"There is a horse post on the other side of the block, you can hitch him to it if you want!"

"Don't do that! The posts are for horses, not pack mules!"

By now, the men were laughing so hard, tears were rolling down their faces and their crude comments flooded the bar.

Suddenly, there was a loud metal ringing that pierced the room. A man in a stained white apron stood on a table with a large cast iron pan in his hands. He was beating it with a metal ladle in an attempt to gather everyone's attention. The tavern grew silent as they regarded the cook, who came out of nowhere.

"Gentlemen! Now listen! I thank you for your patronage, but this is a friendly tavern and we will not tolerate this kind of behavior, especially from full grown men! If this continues, I must ask you to leave immediately!"

The occupants of the bar were quiet for a moment, their eyes were locked on the cook. "Very well then!" The cook stepped off the table and headed for the back room from where he had come.

The tavern was quiet for a while but soon, it was buzzing again as the guests were talking about themselves once more. The rowdy travelers seemed to keep quiet and had very little to talk about. However, Aragorn kept his ears locked in the table.

It wasn't long before one the of men in the group spoke up hesitantly. He dared to ask the question that was on everyone's mind.

"So... A man?... Corimir, you... You've uh... You've slept with a man?" The disbelief was evident in his voice as he addressed the rather scandalous topic.

A smirk spread across Corimir's face as he took another drink from his mug. He set the metal cup down on the table and grinned as he spoke. "Well... Male, yes. But a man?..." He leaned over the table and motioned for his men to do the same. Aragorn strained to hear what Corimir had to say, but his words were lost over the roar of the tavern.

Suddenly the company of men sat back in their chairs, their faces were that of shock and disbelief.

"Are you serious?" Another man asked.

Corimir tilted his head and replied "I swear it on King Elessar himself!"

Aragorn and Gimli exchanged puzzled looks. Aragorn leaned toward the dwarf. "Perhaps they are talking about some sort of slavery. We might find our men tonight after all."

"And when did this happen?" Another man piped up.

"This afternoon. One of our customers told me about it. Remember the young man who bought the orc bow? Well, we were talking and he told me about it and where I could find his owner. Once we sold all our weapons, I took a little trip to take care of... Well... To take care of my business." Corimir said off-handedly "Did you not wonder where I was?" The man grinned as he lifted his mug to his lips again, looking at the expressions on his companion's faces over the thick brim of his mug.

"Well, you *_were_* gone for a long time." Another man huffed. "I'm glad to know that you were off taking care of your urges rather than help us pack up and prepare for tomorrow."

Corimir squinted his eyes and regarded the sarcastic statement with a frown. "I'm glad to know you're finally pulling your weight and can manage without a nursemaid present to tell you how to pack and get ready for tomorrow." He slurred back.

The atmosphere around the table was getting tense and the challenger took a breath to say something back when another man cut in, trying to diffuse the fight that would likely occur if the conversation stayed on the path it was heading down.

"So Corimir- I didn't know there was a brothel around here!"

"There isn't. I had to go to a guy with a cash of labor-slaves. Among them was... Well... You know..." The man took another drink as the men filled in the gap. "But damn, the line was long! The owner was a smart man. He was making a TON of money off one slave!"

"How was it?" Another man asked?

"Well, I'm sure he would have been better if he wasn't so used, but all in all, it was great. The owner keeps him tied up so he can't fight you, but I was kind of rushed as there was a line behind me and..."

Aragorn had heard enough. He did not want to hear any more of this foul man's recall of some poor soul's rape. He had some information for the time being. After paying the tab, Aragorn and Gimli gathered their belongings and headed out of the tavern.

It was well into the night and the once faintly lit streets were cold and dark as the sun had set hours ago. The sky held a few clouds that were passing by, but otherwise the sky was unblocked and the stars were littering the sky. The man and dwarf stepped away from the tavern's door then paused to contemplate their next move. each were lost in thought but the dwarf was the first to speak.

"Those men..." Gimli huffed and let the statement trail off.

Aragorn sighed as he cast his sights on the starry sky, seeking comfort from the sparking lights as he often did when troubled. "Unfortunately, there is still evil in Middle Earth. I will never know why anyone would want to own another man, and it sickens me think that that there are others out there who would sell the bodies of others, especially without their consent. And even more so, this is happening in MY land."

The door to the tavern opened suddenly and both he and the dwarf looked to see the waitress approach them.

"Um... Hi." She said somewhat shyly as she took a step closer to the man. "Listen, I just wanted to thank you for what you did earlier..."

Aragorn smiled and nodded his head "Tis not a problem. I am sorry however for having to leave you here with those men."

"I should be used to it by now, but Corimir is a regular around here. Though he had an awful lot to drink tonight, he is normally bearable." She said as she flashed the two with a concerned smile "I shouldn't talk about our customers this way, I mean after all, if we didn't have them, I would not be dutifully employed... But I just wanted to thank you for what you did. That could have been nasty."

Aragorn regarded the waitress. His eyes narrowed as she spoke. "You say he is a regular? Do you know anything about him?"

"Like what?"

"Anything... anything at all. Is he from around here?"

"No he is not. I'm not sure where he is from but he travels in and out of the area constantly. He is an arms dealer. From what I can gather, he is able to find the weapons of orcs and other foul beasts that were confiscated off of the battle fields in Minas Tirith after the war several years ago. He sells them in the illegal markets to make a living and the men who are with him are his friends who are all in the same business. Haven't seen him in a few seasons, but it seems he will be around for a while again."

The news disturbed Aragorn. He thought he had ordered the bodies and weapons of the enemy to be buried in a location where they could not be discovered. Yet now, the crude weapons were resurfacing and were falling into the hands of men. He filed the information for later, he would have to talk to his advisors when he got back.

"Does he sell in this town?" The dwarf piped up.

The waitress looked at the two and eyed the weapons they carried. "Why do you fine men have need for such foul possessions?" She had thought that these travelers were good men, not the same greedy folk that passed through.

Aragorn's voice was calm despite the dread that was building inside him. "What those men are doing is dangerous. If those weapons fell into to the wrong hands, who knows what damage could be done. After all, there was a reason why those weapons were confiscated."

"And you mean to stop them? I hate to say it but Corimir and his men are not the only ones. They may have a larger operation than some, but there are many more that pass through here and run the same business. You two will not be able to stop them all."

"What about the other markets that run here? Corimir was talking about labor slaves?" The man pressed for more information.

"Sir, I am sorry, I am not but a waitress. I have no dealings with the illegal markets and to be honest, from the little that I hear from Corimir when he brags, I know very little of what goes on there."

"Do ya know where the markets are?" the Dwarf asked.

The woman sighed. "You know... I... I cannot rat my customers out to you like that. If their businesses fail or if they are taken to prison, ultimately, my business will fail. I have a family to feed."

Aragorn reasoned with the woman. "You may have a family to feed, but think of those slaves who had families to feed as well. Families that they will never return to. Families who miss them, who need them."

The woman looked away from the two and Aragorn noted the way the waitress reacted to statement. She crossed her arms and bit her lower lip slightly while shaking her head. A look of either worry or loss painted her face as she let out a heavy sigh. Aragorn has struck the right nerve in her as the thought broke her heart.

Then, a light breeze drifted through the alley and it seemed to suddenly push the waitresses' attitude and it changed. Her posture did not move an inch, but her eyes locked on the two travelers and squinted as she was determined to hold onto her information. "And how do I know you are trying to put a stop to this rather than go find this slave trader and buy them for yourself?"

Aragorn was actually taken aback. He was slowly getting used to being a king and no one dared talk back to him, or challenge his motives. A lopsided grin spread across his face as he shook his head. The woman had a point, yet he was certain if he revealed who he was and what he was doing, the woman would not believe him.

It took a moment for Aragorn to come up with an answer and the waitress cocked an eyebrow as if to mock the man that she had a valid point and the man did not.

"Are the slaves not already condemned to that fate? If I do not buy them, someone else will. At least there is a chance I will do something about it."

"And we will do what we can to help those caught and put an end to this foul trade." The dwarf added to try and make a better point, but the woman shot the dwarf a glare as if daring to prove his statement.

Yet even as she looked at the dwarf, the words of the man struck the same chord within her soul and she thought about those who were held hostage and were forced to hideous fates. She knew giving in was the right thing to do, she just hoped that she didn't jeopardize her job. She did not look at the men as she spoke. Her voice was low and soft as she gave in.

"If you go to the northern end of town, you will find the markets. That area has been abandoned and I do not recommend you going there tonight as it gets more dangerous once it is dark out. You will know you are in the right area when the dirt streets turn to cobblestone and the buildings have been abandoned."

The man and dwarf looked at each other and nodded before Aragorn turned to the waitress and tipped his head in thanks.

"Thank you." He said. The waitress nodded to the pair as they walked off, headed for the Northern end of town. Corimir's voice could be heard in the streets as he called out for another round of ales. She hurried inside to tend to her guests.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

* * *

Aragorn and Gimli made their way through the streets to the northern end of town. Just as they were warned, the charm of the city was left behind as abandoned storefronts and forgotten houses became a frequent sight, lining the dark streets with an unwelcoming presence. At a quick glance, the cobblestone streets looked to be empty, but in the shadows, people were hiding and waiting to take advantage of any unprepared soul. The two travelers stuck close by each other as they walked deeper into the abandoned end of town.

The twisting and turning streets eventually dumped the two into what looked to be a town square. Despite the late hour of the night, the area was considerably crowded and was sloppily set up to resemble an ordinary market. However, this was far from a safe crowd.

Here, the stress of abandonment and neglect took full effect on the wooden and brick structures. The abandoned buildings looked to fall over at the slightest push of wind, yet, people occupied the unstable structures, conducting their businesses without any concern. Crude signage was slapped over the once beautiful landmarks, declaring the best prices for cheap, stolen, or illegal goods. The man and dwarf ventured further into the square and saw firsthand what was sold in the markets. Women advertised themselves on the street corners, catcalling to gentlemen to try and spark their interest. Counterfeit monies were sold from different civilizations in Middle Earth. Stolen horses were also present; their brandings were sired off in an attempt to keep them from being identified. Another man used several large barrels as table tops and he proudly showed off his cache of orc weapons. He haggled with those who appeared to be interested. Strange herbs were displayed at another location and there were several merchants selling various forms of booze that were stored in unidentifiable jars. Nearly everything and anything was being sold. Everything except salves.

Aragorn and Gimli combed through the square, going row by row and taking mental note of the things that they saw. They did not speak; their ears were tuned to the conversations around them. After they walked the entire square, the man and dwarf stepped to a vacant area by a darkened alley so they could talk quietly without being heard.

Aragorn took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. His breath frosted in the damp night and it wafted briefly before his hooded face then vanished.

"I don't like the looks of this place." He pulled his cloak around himself to help combat the cold. As the hours passed, the temperature had dropped considerably and the pleasant chill in the air shifted and held a steady bite.

Gimli opened his mouth to speak when a loud shout was heard over the buzzing market. Both the man and dwarf turned their attention back to the square and found the source of the noise. A tall, lean, man stepped out of the shadows and headed to one of the merchants. There was something very familiar with this man, but both Aragorn and Gimli could have sworn they had never seen him before. The man seemed to be rather young; he was far from a kid, but was considerably younger looking than Aragorn. Dark hair fell to his shoulders that a short cloak covered and he wore dark clothes. At a distance, his clothing looked to be a uniform of some sort, but of which origin, neither man nor dwarf could tell. The man made his way over to a table of weapons and clasped forearms with the seller as though they were friends that greeted each other. The two started haggling over the price of a sword and once a deal was made, money and a stiff handshake was exchanged before the man turned to walk away. This time however, the man did not go the way he came, rather he started to trek up the long, dark alley that Aragorn and Gimli stood at the corner of. As soon as the man turned around, the King saw the man's uniform and was struck by what he saw; a simple dark tunic with a proud white, leafless tree and scattered starts decorated the front of the garment.

Gimli noticed the same thing. "I didn't know you had your men stationed here, Aragorn."

"I don't." The king said flatly. This man looked to be a Gondorian soldier, but what in Middle Earth was he doing here? The king's eyes narrowed as he watched the man brush past them and headed up the alley, whistling a tune as he strapped the newly purchased weapon to his belt.

Aragorn cast the dwarf a skeptical glance before he turned and slowly walked after the man, following him through the long, darkened alley.

The man followed the street until it opened up into a small forgotten courtyard that was predominantly lit by moonlight and was aided with a few faint torches. The courtyard looked no different than the rest of the broken town; It too was lined with storefronts and taverns that had once been merely used, but now stood in ruins. He walked to a barrel that was positioned beside the entry of a white picket fence which enclosed an old general store. He leaned heavily on the wooden object while he removed his newly purchased sword and began to clean the weapon with a scrap piece of leather.

Aragorn and Gimli remained in the shadows for a while trying to take in the new area. At first they thought the man was alone, but he soon started to talk quietly to some unseen person nearby. They approached cautiously and the man looked up at the man and dwarf who approached him. He straightened up, placing the sword to his side and pushing a smile across his face.

"Well, hello men!" He called out to the two travelers. "What can I do for you?"

Aragorn eyed the man cautiously. This was no soldier. He dressed like one, but no soldier would be conducting side business. Aragorn put on a front to see if he could get any information out of the man.

"Hello to you too, Sir. My name is Strider and this is my good friend -" He swept his hand to the dwarf pausing to think of a alias for dwarf, but the Gimli picked up on Aragorn's intentions and extended his hand to the man and introduced himself.

"I'm Roin" He filled in.

The man accepted the dwarf's hand and gave it a stiff handshake. "The name's Dreager! So what brings you men here?"

Aragorn thought fast as he supplied an answer. "Well, we are business partners - in Rohan - and own a horse farm that is growing rather quickly."

The man quirked an eyebrow as he looked to the dwarf. "Horse farmers? I didn't know Dwarves rode horses."

"'I never said I rode the beasts. Ya' don't need to ride horses to sell 'em." Dreager looked to the dwarf and snorted at his remark.

Aragorn stepped in so he could cut to the chase. "We came looking for... help."

Dreager eyed the two. "Oh? What kind of help?"

Aragorn leaned on the barrel and tried to sound as flippant as possible. "The kind you buy and don't have to pay."

Dreager smiled as he caught what the man meant. "Oh *_that_* kind of help. Well gentlemen, I wish I could help you... You have come to the right place, but all of my... *_help_*... is gone - Got rid of the last of them earlier this afternoon."

Aragorn nodded his head. "Will you be getting more?"

"Don't know. We were going to try and make a run-" he inclined his head to another man who sat on the pitiful porch watching from a distance. This man was much larger than the one named Dreager. He looked to be the same age, but had double the mass of the fit man in front of them. He too wore a Gondorian tunic, but it was not clasped all the way up, folding the white tree in half. The tunic looked to barely fit him and his girth stood out easily. He was busy coiling up chains and stacking manacles in a neat pile that held prisoners earlier in the day.

Dreager continued, "-but we've uh... we've kinda' got another trade going on and it is taking off rather well. I'd like to do business with you, but we want to see how this new job pans out."

"Oh?" Aragorn turned a questioning gaze to Dreager, but was cut off as another man approached the group.

"Dreager! It has been too long my friend!" The new comer said as he walked up beside Aragorn and slapped Dreager on the back a few times in a welcoming gesture.

"Jankins! it *_has_* been too long! What have you been up too?"

Aragorn and Gimli backed up a pace as the two men exchanged pleasantries with one another.

"Oh, you know same ol' same ol'! Listen, I ran into Bill earlier and he told me about your 'new business'. How did *_you_* get involved in selling pleasure slaves?!"

"Ah, well it was kinda' by accident really. We-"

"Pleasure slaves?" The dwarf piped up. Disbelief was evident in his voice and it bordered on the line of disgust.

"Yep. We got a customer in there now." He pointed his thumb to the broken down store at his back. "He is finishing up. You should try it out. I'm telling you..." Dreager made the symbol of an 'o' with his fore finger and thumb with the other three other digits sticking straight up; a common sign of 'okay' for all three men to see.

"Well...That's why I am here!" Jankins said with a smile on his face. The grin quickly faded and as he looked at Dreager's outfit. "What in the world are you wearing?" He remarked with a chuckle. He reached his hand out and grabbed the dark fabric at the shoulder and lifted it slightly to better inspect the unusual garment.

"Ah you like it?! We were able to get our hands on some Gondorian uniforms. It helps us blend in."

"Blend in? Stand out is more like it. I wouldn't be wearing that in this town. Either you will spook everyone off or get the tar beat out of you... I'd say so far you are lucky neither has happened."

"Eh, well we didn't mean to be wearing them for long, but orc-brains over there -" He pointed to his comrade by the porch "-left some gear behind and our clothes were in it so we have to wear these until we get a chance to get new clothes."

"Well, I think these suit you well! You look worthy of respect!" Jankins mocked.

"Ha! We are far from it! I think if we were to join the King's armies, we would only be placed in prison! But the clothes are alright. I mean they get the job done. We get in, act like authority from the king, give a few commands, and people will simply follow you unawares. All you have to do is lead them away from the town with some poor excuse and they are yours for the taking!"

"Brilliant!" Jankins quietly exclaimed.

Aragorn tensed at the revelation. This was how the men could slip away from their sight. The slave traders looked like soldiers so it was no wonder why his men could not find them because they looked like one of their own!

Suddenly, muffled cries from the broken store filled the air. They were not distressed cries, rather it sounded like a release of great pleasure, each cry growing in a synchronized rhythm until the final cry peaked, and all went silent.

Gimli looked to Aragorn who pursed his lips together in disgust. Aragorn simply shook his head turning his eyes away in displeasure.

The click of a dead bolt was heard and the door to the worn down shack swung open. "Ah here comes one of my clients now!" Dreager said.

A man exited the small shack. His face was flush and sweat rolled down his temple as he worked hard to control his breathing. Stepping past Aragorn, the man grabbed the ends of his belt and began to fasten the leather cord around his waist and ran his hands over his shirt to smooth out the wrinkles. He shot Dreager a lopsided grin with a mixture of pleasure and exhaustion written on his face.

"Worth every penny." He said as he passed.

"Told you, didn't I? I knew you would enjoy yourself!" Dreager chuckled.

"Oh I didn't enjoy myself... I enjoyed the elf... I enjoyed him very much." The man sneered as he stepped casually into the alley and vanished among shadow.

"An elf?" Aragorn asked.

Dreager didn't have to explain as his companion entered the store and shoved someone roughly into the alley.

Aragorn and Gimli froze.

The fair being stumbled on the uneven cobblestone walk and fell hard to his knees as long blond hair spilled about his face, obscuring most of his features. His breathing was labored and ragged as he desperately panted around a crude gag that was pressed between his pallid lips and tied at the back of his head. He was shirtless, and most of his skin was covered in hot, red welts that were surely going to turn into dark bruises. His hands were tightly bound in front of him and the seat of his green leggings was stained red. The large man, who acted as a guard, ordered the being to stand up, but the fair creature simply could not make his body obey. He was obviously in too much pain. When the elf did not comply, the guard slammed his fist into the side of the elf's head, splitting his temple and stunning the elf. He grabbed the elf's shoulders and hoisted him up against a brick wall to fasten a chain to a thick metal collar that was around his neck. Once the chain was connected, the guard dropped the elf. The fair being could not catch himself once he was released and he crumpled to the cobblestone. He curled in on himself, trying to hide his face from the small group of men who had either paid money for him or who were contemplating paying the price to do as they wished with his body.

Horror made Aragorn and Gimli stiff as they took in what was sure to be their worst nightmare come true. The man could feel bile rise to the top of his throat and he could not breathe.

"Ah! So it is true! You do have an elf!" Jankins was delighted. "How much are you charging?"

"Well, that depends..." A grin played out across Dreager's face as he took on the role of a merchant selling to his potential customer. "Five gold dollars to do what you what with him... ten to make him perform on you. And we've make sure that he can't bite." He winked at Jenkins. "The price is for the first thirty minutes. After that, it is an additional two dollars for every five minutes."

"And if I can not contain him? Is there any guarantee that I will actually have thirty minutes?"

Dreager waved his hand in a nonchalant way and dismissed the worry. "Oh sure! We make sure he cannot put up a fight. He is bound the whole time. You get your thirty minutes. We've kept him drugged, but ran out of the inhalant and don't have any more to give him, but he is still too hazy to really fight back."

Jankins hesitated, but then gave in. He shoved a hand into his pocket and counted out five gold dollars and placed them into the trader's palm. Dreager placed the coins into his mouth and bit down slightly making sure the money was not counterfeit while Jankins looked at Dreager with a look of disbelief on his face.

"You do not seriously think I would take you for a fool, Dreager? My money is good and you know it!"

Dreager placed the coins in his pocket.

"It's not that I do not trust you, I do not trust anyone." He gave a slight smile to Jankins before he gave a nod to the guard who unhooked the chain from the elf's collar. The elf moaned softly through his gag but the guard paid him no mind. Grabbing the elf's bound wrists, he dragged the being back in to the shack with the Jankins closely behind. The guard could be heard yelling at the elf through the wooden walls of the building.

"I said 'get up'! GET UP! How many times do I have to hit you boy?! Get up!" A sickening crack filled the air as the guard punched the fair being again. There was a muffled rattle of chains before the guard came out and the bolt was slid into place once more.

Dreager turned to the guard, shaking his head. "Again?... You would think he would just give up by now."

The guard leaned on the corner post of the porch inspecting his fist as if to admire his improvised method of control.

"It's not like it's hard to get him to cooperate, even without drugs." he shrugged.

"Probably shouldn't hit him anymore. Don't want to lose him too soon. We will pick up more of the tranquilizer when we can find some." The trader looked back at Aragorn and Gimli. "Anyway gentlemen, will you two be next?"

Faster than lightning, Aragorn unsheathed his sword and struck Dreager in the chest, killing him instantly.

Gimli was in motion at an instant. Running past Aragorn, he hefted his ax and brought it down on the guard. The guard had more time to react than his companion did and grabbed his sword from his belt, blocking the dwarf's attack and delivered an equally deadly blow of his own. Gimli jumped back, dodging the strike. The blade sliced through the air and connected with the cobblestone alley, sprawling sparks at their feet. The man lifted his sword and swung it in front of him wildly as he advanced on the dwarf, pushing Gimli further out of the alley.

The dwarf retreated only long enough to regain his stance before he unleashed his wave of attack, delivering deadly blows and connecting his broad ax with the sword of the guard.

The stout being swung his ax, missing his target by a hair. As the ax came full circle, it sliced through one of the porch posts, toppling the thick pole to the street. The two jumped back from each other as the pole landed in the street with a thud.

Aragorn unslung his bow at this point and was tracking the guard's movements with an arrow. The slight break in the fight was all the man needed to safely let the projectile fly without risking harm to the dwarf. The arrow flew straight and fast and hit it's mark, piercing the man's chest, dropping him to the street.

The dwarf turned to Aragorn, but he rushed past to get to the bolted door. He threw the latch aside and pushed the door, but it remained closed. He jammed his shoulder into the sturdy wood to try and force it open, but the door wouldn't budge.

Aragorn paused and listed. Jankins was inside, yelling at him through the door.

"I'm not finished! Wait your turn!"

Aragorn bristled at the comment. He threw his shoulder against the door again and gave every ounce of strength he had. While the wood creaked, it would not budge.

Gimli shoved Aragorn out of the way. He hoisted his ax above his head and brought it down on the door, slicing through the wood. He pried the ax out the gouge and repeated the motion until the door had a decent hole in it.

Aragorn pushed his way through the chopped wood, splintering the already broken door as the entrance was forced opened. Once inside, it only took him half an instant to take in his surroundings. It was almost pitch black in the hut. A tiny lantern in the far corner of the room provided the only light and countertops, full of odd-and-ends, lined the walls. In the center of the room, Legolas hung limply by his bound wrists from the cross beams above their heads. His torn and soiled leggings were pulled down around his knees, exposing the prince. Blood ran down his arms in rivulets from his bleeding wrists and started to trail down his bare chest, mixing with the blood that spilled from his split temple that dripped down his face and neck. In the dim light, Aragorn could barely see splotches of red dripping down his friend's legs and staining his already bloody pants. Save for the uneven rise and fall of his chest, the elf was not responsive. The king turned smoldering eyes on the man standing behind the prince, who was quickly pulling his pants up, using Legolas' dangling body to conceal himself until his belt was fastened.

The man reached for a small dagger on his belt and held it in front of himself as he turned to Aragorn. "You have no business-"

Jankins' speech was cut off as Aragorn pulled his sword from its sheath and swung at the dagger. With a metal ring, the weapons connected and the dagger flew out of the man's hands. The weaponless man stepped behind the elf once more to put anything between himself and this mad man. He reached behind him and grabbed whatever he could. Throwing the objects his hand closed on, he made Aragorn duck and stumble to avoid being struck. Tin cups, old shoes, glass bottles were being hurled at the king. In desperation, Jankins picked up a large stoneware jar and threw it at Aragorn's head. Aragorn quickly brought his forearms up to protect his head and the jar shattered on the vambraces that Aragorn wore, showering him in sharp pieces of pottery and the liquid contents inside.

Jankins made a dash for the door, jetting past Aragorn and squeezing through the splintered entrance. As soon as he was outside, he slammed into Gimli, sending them both tumbling to the ground. The man landed next to the dead guard who was sprawled in the street with an arrow protruding from his chest. Jankins eyes went wide. He was quick to his feet and ran past Dreager's lifeless body with a gasp. He did not stop however. He ran down the alley as fast as he could.

Aragorn gained his feet and ran to the door just as the man ran into the dwarf. He had half a mind to run Jankins down and kill him for what he had done to his friend, but he resisted the urge. He glanced at the dwarf to make sure he was not seriously hurt before he turned and walked back inside the hut. Legolas needed his attention.

Aragorn reached his friend's side. He took in the situation quickly and grabbed the waistband of the elf's leggings, pulling them up to cover the exposed prince. The laces were cut and strewn on the ground around his feet, but the form fitting material stayed in place around Legolas' hips without further aid. Carefully, Aragorn smoothed the elf's hair away from his face, tipping his head back and seeking out the half-lidded, pain-glazed eyes.

Legolas' blurry mind registered that hands were on him once more and he tried to force his body to fight, but his movements were faint and sluggish as consciousness threatened to leave him again. He knew what the man was going to do to him, it was inevitable, but he tried to fight any way. He did not want to be taken again.

Aragorn caught his friend's head as the elf thrashed weakly in his bonds. He tried to calm the elf's movements to keep Legolas from causing more damage to his bound wrists.

"Legolas?" The man called out softly, but the elf couldn't hear him. His strength was spent and his movements stilled as he tried to gasp for air around the gag in his mouth and the ache in his chest from being suspended by his arms.

Gimli had taken a defensive position in the doorway. He watched the streets, intently scouting for any signs of danger as Aragorn freed their friend. Muted sounds of a conversation could be heard seconds before a group of men rounded the corner and began to trek up the alley.

"Aragorn!" The dwarf called out behind him. "We need to get out of here!"

Aragorn pulled the elf's body against his own and wrapped an arm around the prince's slender waist to hold him in place. He raised his sword to the tether that connected the elf's bound wrists to the ceiling beam of the small shack. With one swift move, the rope was cut and the elf's body fell into Aragorn's grasp. Legolas' bruised chest made contact with the man's broad shoulder. His sharp cry was muffled by the gag in his mouth as stars exploded in his blurry vision before his world turned black and unconsciousness claimed him.

"Aragorn! We need to leave! Now!" The dwarf's voice was urgent as he unstrapped his ax. The men in the ally stopped once they saw the dwarf and eyed him suspiciously.

Aragorn laid the elf on the wooden floor. He tried to remove the gag in the elf's mouth, but the knot at the back of the elf's head was tied too tight and he didn't have time to waste so he left it. Aragorn re-sheathed his sword and shed his gray cloak, wrapping the prince in the soft fabric and pulling the deep hood of the cloak over his friend's face. Scooping the elf into his arms, he stood to his feet and was headed toward the door, but froze when he heard a voice call out to the dwarf that stood in the doorway.

One of the men took a few steps forward as he looked around the small area.

"Hello!" he called out in a friendly voice. Gimli lowered his ax slightly but said nothing. "We uh... We are hoping that we have the right place..." his words were cautious as he continued to move forward slowly. He held his hands up showing that he had no weapons and a friendly, bright smile was played out across his features.

"I'm sure ya' have the wrong place lad." The dwarf said flatly. He left the doorway to stand by the opening in the fence, blocking the sight of the dead bodies so that they could not be seen from the alley. The last thing they needed was for these men to raise alarm in the town, if Jankins didn't already.

The man looked perplexed. "No... No I'm sure this is the place! You have an elf, don't you? We ran into a traveler at a tavern down the street and he told us that there was an elf for sale in this alley. We are interested!"

"No you're not!" The dwarf growled.

The man looked at the dwarf questioningly. He turned back to his comrades and shook his head. "Did he not say the old store in Brewer's Alley?" Everyone nodded in agreement. "No this is it..."

"No it's not!" The dwarf shouted. He stepped forward raising his ax ready to fight. He was seeing red at the men's intent and without any heed, stalked toward the stunned men. The irate dwarf glared at the group, as he walked, his eyes low and dangerous. Without any warning, the dwarf let out a battle cry as he hefted his ax over his head. At this, the group of men turned and fled down the alley. He scared the men off but he didn't know for how long.

The dwarf ran back to the doorway and made his way inside. "Aragorn! We've got to leave now!"

Just as the words left the dwarf's mouth, Aragorn brushed past him with Legolas securely in his arms.

The atmosphere of the broken down store froze the dwarf for a second. He looked around the space in disgust. He turned to leave when a glint of metal caught his eyes. He stepped closer to the object and was horrified at what he saw. One of the counters held an array of items, each with a price tag placed next to it. The dwarf recognized a few of objects; A glittering green leaf broach, an Elven long bow, a quiver, twin white handled knives, a grey cloak, and a pair of well made boots with matching vambraces were all for sale. Snatching the items from the table, he gathered Legolas' belongings and tucked them under his arm before he left.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

* * *

Consciousness returned slowly to the elf. He let out a soft moan of pain as a shiver raced through his injured body. He was cold, which was a foreign feeling for an elf and the sensation was not pleasant. In fact, it was almost painful.

_**Where am I... what happened?**_

He blinked his eyes several times to try and ease the violent pounding of a headache that was threatening the clarity of his vision. Something was horribly wrong. He could feel a great uneasiness in the pit of his stomach and yet, he could not remember what was amiss.

Slowly, his blurred vision began to clear and he found himself laying on his back staring up into the chilly night sky. Through somewhat bare tree branches, the stars were twinkling overhead as they danced between thick clouds that were passing over the velvety black sky. He tried to take a deep breath but choked as something hindered him to breathe properly. He took in several ragged gulps of air through his nose and concentrated on gaining his breath. He tried to move a hand to his face to free his mouth, but could not move one hand without moving the other with it. He looked at his hands and saw thick coiled rope pulled tight about both of his wrists, cutting off the blood circulation. His hands looked dark in the starlight and his digits were swollen. He reached up to his mouth to remove whatever was keeping himself from breathing. He could feel his swollen hands on his face, but his fingers could not register touch. They were completely numb and he could not move his fingers at all.

Slowly, memories returned to the elf. The uneasiness he had felt quickly turned into panic as his foggy mind told him he was still a prisoner. His heart began to pound which caused his headache to throb in his temples to the beat of his racing heart. He struggled to ease his hands underneath himself so he could sit up. But as he put pressure on his limbs, fiery agony shot across his shoulders and through his arms. He stopped immediately and gulped for air.

His throat burned with thirst and his neck was stiff and sore from the thick metal collar that the slave traders slapped him in earlier. It was still around his neck and it was painfully tight. He tried again to sit up, this time without the aid of his arms, but the world spun nauseatingly and he was forced to lie back down. He had received far too many blows to the head and he thought he was going to be sick.

Legolas closed his eyes. Did the slave traders sell him? Or were they simply moving to another town to whore him out to a host of new people? Tears began to well up in his eyes at the thought of his own helplessness. He had to get out of the area and fast.

Legolas pushed his body upright and fought for control of his stomach. Every muscle protested the movement but he forced himself to stay upright. He took in the sight of his soundings. It was dark and he was left alone in a small clearing of the forest. Bags of gear were piled beside him which only meant one thing... His captors would be back.

Using a tree for support, he painfully stood to his feet. His leggings slid down his waist and he fought with his bound numb hands to try and grab the laces of his pants, but they were missing and his hands would not obey him. He pushed his elbows into his bruised hips to pin the fabric to his body to prevent them from falling off completely. He took a step into the forest and a large mass of cloth slid off of his slim shoulders and fell to the ground. He was left standing in the clearing without a tunic and torn leggings. The cold assaulted him and the injured prince shivered. Turning to the tree line, he headed off into the forest, weaving deeper into the trees. He didn't know where he was going or what direction he was headed, he just hoped that he was going in the opposite direction of the slave traders. His limbs were clumsy and shaky at best, but he kept pushing himself to put as much distance between his captors and himself as possible. The exertion he was forcing on his battered and abused body was beginning to take its toll and the last of his strength was dwindling. His head started to swim as dehydration and blood loss were leading him closer and closer to delirium.

Suddenly, a warning was sent out to the elf. It wasn't a voice, rather it was more of a feeling. He stopped in his tracks and listened, using his heightened Elven senses to decipher the noises in the dark forest. The trees were groggy as fall was lulling them into their deep, winter sleep, but they were calling out to the elf, begging him to hide. A few yards ahead of him, he saw the blurry outline of a willow tree; its long drooping branches were swaying in the slight breeze. It was calling to him, offering refuge within its thick strong branches and security in the swaying limbs. Legolas wasted no time and he staggered toward the tree. Ignoring the fiery ache in his arms, he reached his bound hands above his head to grab onto the branches and pull himself up into safety. But his fingers would not close around the tree branch. He found a thick, low hanging branch and began to lift his leg on to the branch to propel himself up, but a sharp flash of pain ripped through his backside as his torn body protested the movement.

Legolas put his back to the tree and slid down to the ground, not caring that the rough bark was grating painfully against the bruises that were forming over his bare back. Lightheadedness was battling his conscious and Legolas drew his knees up to his chest. Resting his elbows on top of his knees, he braced his head against his bound wrists in an attempt to hide. Tears began to slide down his cheeks and trickled over the hot bruises that were beginning form. He felt helpless as the only thing he could do was hope that his captors would not find him. But even his delirious mind knew that he did not get far enough to be safe. He just couldn't go on any further.

His sharp hearing picked up the sound of heavy foot falls crushing the soggy dead leaves that littered the forest floor. They were looking for him. Blind panic was over taking the elf and he gulped for air around the gag in his mouth and the crude metal collar that was still clamped tightly around his throat. A thin sheen of perspiration covered the elf's exposed skin, causing him to shiver harder.

The footsteps were just beyond the limp branches of the willow. The limbs parted and the tall dark figure stepped closer to the elf. They had found him.

* * *

Aragorn reached the clearing with an armload of kindling and logs to start a fire to light the space up in order to tend to the prince. He had passed the dwarf several times as he collected firewood and he knew that Gimli was still off on patrol and should be back any minute.

Dropping the wood in the center of the clearing, he began to stack the wood to light a fire. He searched an inner pocket of his tunic for a flint, but came up empty handed. It must be in his pack. He stood to his feet and saw the crumpled up cloak lying beside his pack and the elf was gone.

"Legolas?" he called out. "LEGOLAS?!" He strained to hear a response, but the only thing he heard was the rustle of dead leaves that still clung to the trees as the wind began to pick up.

Aragorn swore to himself. He knew he shouldn't have left the elf alone, but he honestly did not think the elf would be waking any time soon, nor did he believe his friend capable of walking. He was gone only a few short moments to gather some firewood, but in that span of time, the elf proved Aragorn's judgments to be wrong.

He grabbed his pack and found his flint in an outermost pocket. He ran back to the tinder and grabbed a stick. Ripping a piece of cloth from his tunic, he wrapped it around one end of the stick and began to strike his flint. Sparks flew and landed on the soggy earth beneath him, but nothing caught on fire. He tried again... And again. But nothing was going to light in the damp mess he had in his hands. Running back to his pack, he grabbed a small phial of healing oil and placed a few drops on the cloth. He struck his flint one more time and the sparks landed on the oil, instantly igniting into a burning blaze.

He stood up and pushed the torch towards the ground in an attempt to pick up the elf's trail. He searched the leaves until he was able to find what he was looking for; A faint, almost unreadable footprint was pressed into the leaves and it pointed the former ranger north through the forest. That was enough to send Aragorn in the right direction. Grabbing his cloak off of the ground and folding it over his arm, he bent down to retrieve his pack before he took off after the staggered trail as it lead him several yards away from the clearing.

A sudden gust of wind tore through the forest and the torch Aragorn was holding flickered dangerously. Aragorn brought the blaze closer to his body and cupped his hand around the flame to protect it, but his attempts failed him and the light burned low before it was blown out. Throwing the charred stick away, he continued onward, looking for another sign that Legolas was nearby. He crouched to the ground and used what little starlight was present to try and read the earth, but he could see nothing.

A faint sound reached Aragorn's ears. It was almost unheard and he wondered if it was the noises of the forest playing tricks with him or not. But then he heard it again. It was the sound of a soft sob in the distance and it alerted Aragorn that he was not alone.

Standing up, Aragorn regarded the area closely. Ahead there was a willow tree with its bowed branches hanging low, barely scraping the ground and shrouding the area beneath in shadows. He walked over to the tree and carefully parted the branches. He looked around the covered area before cautiously stepping beneath the foliage. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, but there he found Legolas, huddled against the tree trunk in a miserable heap on the ground.

He took a step toward the elf and Legolas flinched. The elf held up his bound hands in a last ditch effort to ward off the pursuer.

"Legolas?" Aragorn called out softly. He crouched in front of the prince and carefully took Legolas' hands in his own. "Legolas? _Ssshhh_ _mellon-nin_ (my friend). It is ok it is just me."

The elf peaked out at the man in front of him. He tried to say something, but his words were muffled by the gag that was around his mouth.

Quickly, Aragorn reached behind Legolas' head to untie the gag, but the elf pulled back from the sudden movement and he pressed himself up against the tree behind him.

Aragorn recoiled. "Legolas?" He questioned. He looked into Legolas' terrified and delirious gaze and doubted the elf truly knew what was going on.

"Legolas, _mellon-nin_. It is just me. It's Estel. It's ok you are safe now. No one will hurt you any longer." Aragorn slid his hands to the elf's flush cheeks and held his friend's face between his hands for a moment. He drew their heads together and rested his forehead against the elf's temple so Legolas could feel his presence. "I promise you, you are safe now." He whispered.

Legolas began to tremble at the gentle touch. Carefully, Aragorn eased his hands behind the elf's head and picked at the knotted fabric until it fell away from Legolas' pale lips.

Aragorn let out a small gasp. The gag that was place around the elf's head hid another contraption that was wrapped around his face. A large metal ring was pushed behind his teeth, keeping his jaw open while leather straps dug painfully into the corners of his mouth holding the piece in place. A sturdy metal buckle was fastened behind his head making sure that the mouthpiece could not be removed unless someone, other than the elf, wanted it off.

Aragorn clenched his jaw. He was appalled as he realized what the device was for. He heard familiar words echo in his head.

**"_ten to make him perform on you. And we've make sure that he can't bite."**_

Aragorn carefully slid his hands behind the elf's head. He began to fumble with the buckle trying to get the stiff leather to bend and allow the prong to slide out of the notch. After a few long minutes, the straps finally became loose and the man tenderly slid the ring away from the prince's bloody, split lips.

Yet something was still wrong. Legolas' mouth was still slightly ajar and he was panting through his nose. He tried to swallow, but choked yet again as if there was something blocking his airways. Aragorn tipped his friend's head back and peered into his mouth, squinting in the darkness to try and see what was wrong. It was too dark to see anything so he took his index finger and slowly push it past the prince's teeth. His finger brushed against something wet and soft, but was not a natural feeling. Pushing a second finger into the elf's mouth, Aragorn's fingers grabbed the object and pulled it out. A wadded up cloth was pressed deep into his throat and the elf choked and gasped for air as the offensive material was removed.

The elf instinctively tried to swallow in an attempt to ease the burning sensation at the back of his throat from nearly choking on the material since it was placed in his mouth. His throat was parched and it was painful to swallow.

Aragorn reached into his pack and retrieved a drinking horn. He uncorked it and pushed the rim to the elf's lips, cautiously pouring the cool liquid into the elf's mouth.

Legolas gulped at the water greedily. He wasn't even aware of what he was doing, but his body's need for water took control and he drained the leather pouch swiftly.

Aragorn tucked the canteen in his pack and turned back to the elf. Legolas' eyes were huge in the darkness and Aragorn could tell that the elf was terrified as Legolas began to tremble again.

"Calm down Legolas. It is just me. Gimli is nearby as well... you are safe now." Aragorn soothed.

"What?" Legolas could not think straight anymore. He heard the words, but they did not make sense to him.

_**Why was Aragorn here? Was he captured too? Where were they?**_

"How?" the elf began to question. But he could not remember what he was asking "... Where is... Who?... Strider?..."

Aragorn saw the confusion on the elf's tear stained face. "Don't worry yourself with it now Legolas. You are safe, you do not have to worry about anything." Aragorn reach out to brush the tears away from Legolas' cheeks.

Legolas recoiled sharply. "Stop!" He yelped. Aragorn pulled back again as a flash of anguish passed over his features. He was at a loss. They sat in silence for a few moments. Aragorn needed the elf to calm down.

Aragorn's heart broke. "Oh _mellon-nin_." He whispered. Tears were sparkling in the human's eyes as he regarded the elf. Legolas' ragged breathing tore at the king. The prince needed help but he was afraid to touch the elf. He could see the glimmer of metal wrapped around the elf's neck. He had forgotten about the collar that the prince still wore but he resisted the urge reach out to his friend. He could get that off later.

Aragorn shook out his cloak and draped it over Legolas' shoulders. He reached into his boot and pulled out an elegant elven dagger. Gently, he held the elf's slender bound wrists and began to cut the ropes that held them together. Once the cording was peeled away, he gathered the rope along with the various gags and flung them out into the forest. He was glad to get rid of the cruel restraints. Returning to the elf, he began to massage his friend's swollen and discolored hands to increase the blood flow that had been cut off for far too long.

"Let us head back to camp. We will have a nice, warm fire going and I can treat your wounds better in the light. Can you stand?" The elf did not respond to the man's question so Aragorn stood to his feet and extended his hand down the elf to help him up as well. With trembling fingers, Legolas took Aragorn's offered help and allowed the man to pull him up.

Pain ripped through the prince's awareness. He had been suspended by his arms for far too long during his captivity and the pull on his arms caused the shot muscles in his shoulders to scream in protest. The sudden change in position flaired a burn of agony in his core. He let a soft cry escape his lips as the world tipped around him. He swayed violently to the side and Aragorn was compelled to catch his friend or else he would end up on the ground.

Legolas fought with consciousness and tried to hold on to his awareness, but his body suddenly went numb before darkness washed over this senses.

Aragorn felt his friend's body go limp against him. "Legolas?... Legolas?" He gently shook the elf, but he received no response. Aragorn gingerly laid Legolas on the ground. Wrapping the cloak around his friend once more, he scooped the unconscious elf into his arms and began to make his way back to camp.

It was not a far walk back and soon Aragorn entered the clearing that they deemed suitable for camp. He found Gimli standing in the center of the glen packing up the firewood along with all of their belongings hefted onto his back.

"Gimli? What are you doing?" He asked.

"I have found a better place for the night." Gimli sounded pleased with himself.

"Have you? Is it close?" Aragorn asked as he shifted Legolas in his arms.

Gimli looked at Aragorn and noted the situation. "Aye. It isn't too far from here. There is a cavern just over the hill to the west. It will be safer there." A slight drizzle of rain began to descend on the company and the man and dwarf squinted as they looked to sky to judge the cloud cover that was rolling back in.

"It'll be dryer too!" Gimli chirped. "Come Aragorn, I have all our gear."

Gimli lead the way through the forest with Aragorn trailing closely behind.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

* * *

The hollow was set up as a makeshift camp for the remainder of the night. A small warm fire burned brightly in the center of the cavern and the three occupants sat around the circle in silence, each lost in their own thoughts as the warm glow slowly washed the stress of the day away. A meager dinner was prepared and the smell of food hung in the air as Aragorn and Gimli finished their meals and began tidying up the space. Legolas woke up shortly after their arrival to the cave and receded as far as the space would allow, preferring to sit alone on the edge of the shadows.

Once a majority of the dishes and food were cleaned up, Gimli retrieved his axe and plopped himself close to the fire. Digging deep into his pockets, he found his honing stone and began to slowly run the rock along the blade's razor sharp edge to polish out any dents and dings that were driven into the hefty weapon from the brief fight just a few hours ago. His smooth movements were soon becoming gruff as his thoughts drifted back to dark memories that had just transpired.

Finding Legolas in the hands of slave traders was the last thing he would have ever expected to see. It puzzled him to no end on how they managed to capture the nimble elf. What happened? What went wrong? He had seen Legolas fight numerous times and knew that the elf possessed fighting skills that could hardly be matched by anyone and reflexes that could put a cat to shame. So how was it that they managed to catch Legolas?

White hot anger was building inside the dwarf as he recalled what was done to his friend... He could remember seeing the insubstantial way Legolas looked in Aragorn's arms as they traveled through the forest and the way the traders simply sold the elf's body as though they were selling meat in a market. The horrific sounds of pleasure that came from the hut filled his head as-

"Gimli..." Aragorn halted the dwarf; his tone was soft but healed a tinge of warning, begging the dwarf to stop.

Gimli was instantly snapped back to the present as the last rough pass of the honing stone sent a hissing zing through air and the sound ricocheted off the cavern walls. He froze as the noise dissipated and realized his overzealous actions. He looked at Aragorn from across the fire and his eyes locked on human's for a brief moment. The same pain and anger Gimli felt was visible in the depths of the king's eyes. Gimli tore his gaze away from Aragorn's. Sadness shot through his being and he hesitantly shifted his position, quietly picking up where he left off.

With sorrow embedded in his brow, Aragorn glanced at the elf who sat hunched over at the far end of the cavern. Legolas was a pitiful sight; his knees were drawn to his bare chest and he hugged them tightly. His loose blond hair hung in a tangled mess about his head as it rested on top of his knees. His exhausted, pain-glazed eyes were staring absently into the fire. The bruises on his face and arms were darkening and dried blood still clung to the various scrapes and cuts that had been inflicted upon him. His wrists were horribly chafed and still bleeding from having been tightly bound and struggling. Dark coiled impressions were still visible that the coarse rope had left behind. Legolas had barely spoken a word since his rescue and his lack of response was starting to worry both Aragorn and Gimli.

Aragorn looked at the plate of food that was left for Legolas. It had not been moved since he placed it on the ground beside the elf and the food was completely untouched. He wasn't surprised that the elf did not eat. Aragorn couldn't imagine having an appetite of any kind after the hellish nightmare Legolas was forced to live through. But he left food out for the elf as a comfort more than anything; letting him know that there were others around who cared for him. He knew elves didn't need the substance like mortals did, so he made his way quietly to the elf's side and picked up the plate of cold food to began clearing up the mess.

As the man cleaned off the small plate and wiped it clean to be put away, Aragorn let out a heavy sigh. He didn't know what to do for the elf nor did he know what to say. His eyes drifted to deep bruises on Legolas' cheeks and Aragorn winced internally at the sight of the ugly mark on the fair skin. He knew Legolas had many more wounds and he desperately needed medical attention, but the elf would not let anyone close enough to help. When Aragorn or Gimli tried to approach him, he would flinch and shy away. Aragorn did not want to cause his long time friend any more pain so he just let Legolas be until he could calm down and fully realize that he was no longer in danger. However, time was passing swiftly and his healer instincts told him that he shouldn't wait too much longer.

Aragorn reached for his pack. Dragging it closer to the light of the fire, he sifted through the contents and pulled out an array of items and set them on the rocky floor. A small metal pot tumbled on to the ground and the crash of metal rang inside of the cavern, causing the elf to tense up and jerk at the sudden noise.

"It's ok _mellon-nin._" Aragorn quietly assured as he picked the pot up and set it into the hot coals. The elf watched the man's movements for a while before he settled back down, placing his head back on top of his knees and letting the flames lull him back into his detached state.

Aragorn reached for his flask and poured water into the pot and after a few moments of heating up, the water began to boil. Picking through the items that were strewn on the floor, Aragorn plucked up a small leather pouch and untied the drawstring. He dumped a small amount of crushed leaves into the palm of his hand, measuring out what he needed before he placed the aromatic plants into the water to boil. The sweet and soothing scent of tea was released into the air as the herbs were allowed to steep in the water.

Aragorn turned back to his pack and fished out a small tin mug. Carefully, he retrieved the pot from the fire, strained the liquid into the cup, then made his way over to the elf and knelt beside the forlorn prince.

"Legolas?" He quietly called out to the elf to get his attention and Legolas turned weary eyes to his friend. "Here _mellon-nin_. Drink this..." Aragorn held the cup out to the elf, but Legolas made no indication of moving or speaking. "Legolas, please... You need this. Your body needs this. It will help you. There is medicine in it that will help lessen pain..." He let his compassionate voice trail off.

"I do not want it." Legolas' voice was raspy and broken as he quietly murmured his response.

"Legolas... Please..." Aragorn held the mug closer to the elf to try to get him to take the offered cup, but Legolas just shook his head and redirected his gaze back to the fire. Aragorn watched his friend for a few moments trying to decide the best course of action. The man's brows furrowed in concern as he saw treacherous tears beginning form in the dull blue eyes of his friend.

Legolas buried his head against his knees to hide his face before the silvery tears could escape his long dark lashes. He didn't want anyone to see his pain, not even those who were trying to help. He felt shame in the pit of his stomach and it twisted painfully as a barely contained sob escaped his lips. His emotions were out of his control and it irritated the elf which only added to his frustrations and disgrace. He felt dirty, disgusting and used as the bruises and wounds on his body ached and constantly reminded the elf what happened to him.

He could still feel cold strong hands gripping him tightly, forcing him to submit against his will. Rough, calloused fingers tangled in his hair, crushed his arms and clamped down on his hips. The merciless hands groped at his body as his clothing was removed, baring himself to whomever paid the price to do as they willed with his body. They pressed in close, sucking at his neck and collarbone. They bit his skin as the men lost themselves in brutal lust. He painfully ripped and tore as the men forced themselves into him time and time again. Even now, his abdomen and chafed opening were throbbing, never giving the elf a reprieve from his pain and shame. His sharp nose could easily smell the dried traces of male essence that clung to his chest, neck and face. He was mortified at the fact that Aragorn and Gimli were witness to his humiliation and weakness.

With another sigh, Aragorn set the mug down beside the elf much like he did the food, and walked away. Obviously his very presence disturbed the elf so he backed away to give Legolas the space he wanted. He took up his place near the fire once more and began to stoke the embers.

Outside of the cave, thunder rolled softly through the night sky and Aragorn leaned forward to the edge of the cavern to look toward the heavens. The moon and stars were slowly being cloaked in clouds and flickers of lightning were beginning to light up the surrounding forest.

"It sounds like a nasty storms approachin'... Is it headed this way?" Gimli commented trying to lighten the mood with another subject for the time being. He watched the exchange between his two companions and didn't know what to do.

"Yes. It is still off in the distance, but it seems this will not be a light shower." Aragorn looked at the small pile of tinder that was collected for firewood earlier. "I fear we do not have enough firewood to last us through the night." Aragorn stood up and grabbed his dark coat and swung it over his shoulders along with his cloak. "I'll go collect some more." He strapped his sword to his waist and pulled the hood of the cloak over his head as he started toward the entrance.

"I'll go with you." The dwarf stated. Gimli began to stand but Aragorn held out his hand in a stopping motion. Aragorn shook his head and inclined it towards Legolas, indicating that he wanted Gimli to stay with the elf.

Realizing what he meant, Gimli nodded and settled back down as Aragorn walked out into the night. His footsteps could be heard through the crunch of leaves as he trailed out into the forest until he was too far away to be heard.

Gimli felt awkward and for a majority of the time, he sat in silence listening to the soft crackle of the fire as it burned. Images of the traumatic events were starting to assault his awareness once more. He looked at the elf who had barely moved since their arrival and knew that something needed to be done.

The dwarf stood to his feet and rounded the fire to gather the last of the firewood that was on hand. He threw a log into the fire and watched as the flames arose to consume the timber.

"Laddie..." Gimli's gruff voice was soft and compassionate as he addressed the elf. "We're worried about ya'." Again, he felt awkward and inadequate as he was not quite sure what to say or how to say it. He fidgeted with a twig that was destined for the fire before he threw it into the flames. "Ya' need to let us help you."

"There is nothing to help." Legolas responded hoarsely. His voice was slightly bitter and sharp.

Gimli snorted and shifted to face the prince. "And I suppose the sky is not blue an' the grass is not green, eehh?" Naturally, the dwarf had very little patience and it was starting to run thin with the elf's rigidness. Even with Legolas so run down as he was, he was still the most stubborn creature the dwarf had ever encountered and the prince's ability to be so stubborn always found a way to get under the dwarf's skin. Gimli knew Legolas wasn't doing it on purpose, but now was not the time to allow the elf to be stubborn and have his way. Legolas needed help, he needed someone to break through to him. It was for his own good.

Pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to clear his thoughts, Gimli tried a different tactic. "Laddie, ya' don't have to hide from us. We're here to help you. Holdin' everythin' inside an' refusin' help is only goin' to hurt you more. Those men have been dealt with... Aragorn an' I made sure of that. They will not be hurtin' you anymore. *_You_* are the only one hurtin' yourself now. Don't push us away. Don't close yourself off and suffer in silence any longer. We understand it will take a long time for wounds to heal... Even for a pointy-eared-Elven-princeling as yourself," That last part was meant as a jest to try and get the prince to lighten up, but to no avail, so the dwarf continued. "-but you have to take the first step and let those who are close to you, help you... You can trust us Legolas... Don't you know that?"

Legolas knew the dwarf was right but the thought of having someone put their hands all over him once more made him feel ill. He didn't know how to comply with their pleas. Of course he trusted Aragorn and Gimli. So why was he so afraid of them?

Perhaps he wasn't afraid of them, he was afraid of himself, afraid of his own broken and abused body. His friends should not be subjected to that sight.

"Well?" Gimli actually wanted answer.

"I do trust you and Aragorn. It's just..." Legolas could not finish as his voice choked around the swell of emotions that were threatening to overtake him once more.

"It's just what?" Gimli softly implored. Watching his friend suffer was beginning to take a toll on the dwarf and he could feel tears welling in his own eyes as he watched the elf struggle with the war inside of him.

Legolas just shook his head and pressed his face against his knees once more. How could he put into words that he didn't want anyone to see how used he was. How he was horribly violated and he was helpless to stop it from happening. He was Prince of Mirkwood, Lord of Ithilien, one of the finest archers and warriors of his people. He fought in many battles and wars, one of which saved all of Middle Earth from peril. And this... *_This_* was going to be his downfall? And now he had to rely on others to fix what he could not stop? His friends had to fix a broken elf who could not prevent the matter from happening in the first place? And how could he be alright after what had transpired? He was beginning to believe that he didn't not want to continue in this world any longer. He did not even have the heart to try.

Gimli sighed and blinked back the tears. This was going nowhere. "I'm only doin' this because I care about ya'... But I'm givin' ya' three options... Ya' let me see to your wounds. You let Aragorn see to ya' or... I hold you down while Aragorn does what he needs to." Although it was a threat, Gimli spoke calmly.

The elf didn't say a word.

"I take it the first option is out then. Ya' have two more options left." Gimli walked back to his place near the fire and sat down once more. He looked at the elf to see if he had gotten through to him but realized that his words were probably sharper than he intended. The last thing he wanted was to make the elf feel uneasy.

"Laddie..." the dwarf's voice was softer this time. "Everythin' will be okay. I promise." He assured.

A crash of thunder sounded outside of the cavern and the sound of large heavy drops started to flood the air as the rain hit the crisp fall leaves. The shower was slow at first, but the rain was dropping more and more frequently until the clouds opened into an all out downpour.

The fall of heavy footsteps was heard running toward the cavern and Aragorn quickly ducked into the space. He stood in the entrance for a moment to let a majority of the water roll off of his coat. He passed his cloak to Gimli which he had converted into a tote to allow himself to carry more tinder for the fire than his arms alone would allow.

"My word it is getting nasty out there." Aragorn stated as he ran a hand through his hair to push his wet dark locks out of his face. He shrugged out of his coat and draped it over his pack to let it dry out by the fire.

As he unbuckled his sword, he looked over at Legolas. Just as he expected, the tea he had made for the elf was still untouched. He turned a questioning glance at the dwarf who simply stuck his thumb toward the prince, silently telling the man to talk to the elf. Aragorn set his sword down and stalked over to Legolas and crouched next to him.

"_Mellon-nin_?" He called out softly. Legolas gave no response and the man knew he needed to act now. He hated to do it, but he had no choice. He had to push the elf in order to help him.

"Legolas... I know you wish not to be bothered right now and I wish I could give you that peace, but you have many wounds that need to be seen to. The longer you refuse treatment, the longer you will hurt." Aragorn paused for a moment. He let out a soft sigh and shifted his position so he was sitting in front of Legolas, desperately trying to get the prince to look at him. He needed to get through to the elf. Tenderly slipping his fingers under Legolas' chin, he carefully pulled the prince's head up to meet his concerned eyes. Dropping his voice, Aragorn continued.

"I know you suffered at the hands of men..." Legolas' sapphire eyes begin to shimmer with restrained tears and it broke Aragorn's heart. He could feel his own voice became thick with emotion, but he forged on. "...but I would never harm you." he whispered.

Legolas turned his face, easily slipping his chin out of the king's loose grasp. He knew Aragorn would not hurt him, but he was still on edge and too worn out to trust anyone at this point. The memories were still far too fresh to be easily pushed aside and shame was eating at him. The prince let out a shaky sigh as he tried to cope with the swirl of emotions beginning to build inside. Aragorn stooped lower to put his face in Legolas' line of sight.

"Please _mellon-nin_. At least let me try. If you cannot allow me to finish dressing your wounds then I promise I will not make you endure it, but please at least let me try... " Aragorn searched his friend's blue eyes for any sign of permission.

Legolas built up his courage and after a few moments he finally gave in. With a reluctant nod, Legolas complied.

Relief crashed over Aragorn and he was quick in motion. He retrieved the small metal pot and added water before placing it into the fire to warm up. He rummaged through their belongings and came across a sleeping shirt that the dwarf had at the bottom of his pack.

"I am going to need this." The man stated and the dwarf simply nodded.

"Of course. Anythin' ya need."

Aragorn grabbed his pack and placed it beside the elf as he began to get himself set up. He pulled out a few jars of ointment and salve to tend and dress the elf's wounds and the man pulled out a small ball of swathing materials. Aragorn sat hastily and set to work ripping the dwarf's shirt into small portions. He was always prepared with his healing supplies and kept a few clean cloths and bandage materials with him, but Legolas was in rough shape and the expert healer knew that what he brought was not going to be enough. He had to make use out of Gimli's shirt to ensure he had enough supplies.

Once the water was warmed up, the ranger brought it over the elf and sat down again to begin cleaning and tending the prince.

Aragorn did not know where to start. Legolas was covered in cuts, scrapes, bruises and scratches. Taking one of Legolas' wrists, he uncurled it from around the elf's knees and carefully began to clean the abused skin that encircled the slender limb.

Legolas watched his movements, inhaling sharply when the soft cloth made contact with the irritated welts. He fought with himself to sit still so his friend could clean him up. Aragorn frowned slightly as he noted how tense the prince was. The battle in the elf was not lost on the king and he began to talk to Legolas in the gray tongue to give him something to concentrate on and ease his mind. Legolas relaxed a little at the soothing sound of Aragorn's voice and allowed the man to continue.

Once Legolas' wrists were cleaned, Aragorn spread a soothing salve over the torn flesh and lightly bound it with a strip of clean, dry cloth. The healer's administrations moved up the elf's arms and across his back, cleaning the cuts and bruises and quickly spreading the salve to any injury he came to.

As the man's ministrations continued, his brows knotted in deep disapproval. There were a few bleeding welted lines that decorated his friend's back and they looked far too close to whip lashes that spoke of more cruel and painful abuse. This was not the first time he had cleaned the elf of crisscrossed stripes, but that did not mean it was necessarily easy on the man's conscious. Over their many long years of friendship both man and elf had numerous brushes with trouble. Brutal wounds such as these were not unknown to the duo, however, it grieved the man regardless knowing that Legolas had only suffered that much more.

Aragorn re-sat himself in front of the prince and began to tenderly clean the elf's tear stained face. He started with the nasty gash to his temple that the guard gave him. The wound was deep and had only just begun to seal over. The human sucked in his breath as he carefully dabbed the cloth against the bruised laceration. His movements became gentler yet as he noted the way the elf winced as he cleaned the cut.

"This might need stitches, but I will wait to see how it fairs in the morning." The man stated as he carefully finished with the wound. His ministrations traveled to the elf's bruised, swollen cheeks and the man tipped the elf's head slightly to better inspect the dark marks. They looked deep and painful but other than spreading a salve over them to dull the pain, there was nothing more the man could do.

Aragorn reached for a fresh cloth and dipped it in the water to start cleaning the elf's mouth. Blood was caked in the corners of his lips from a painful split found on the bottom lip, but there was something else there too. Something he didn't quite recognize. There were white, sticky patches that mixed with the blood at the corners of his mouth. The white patches were spread across his chin and the bridge of the elegant nose. The man began to swipe at the patches, but as the water from the cloth made contact with the substance, it turned thick and gooey.

Suddenly, it hit Aragorn; He could hear the slave trader in his mind again, selling the elf to the traveler.

_**"... ten to make him perform on you. And we've make sure that he can't bite." The man winked at the customer.**_

Rage was reignited in the man. He set his jaw and he quickly cleaned the traces of dried ejaculate from his friend's body. Once the elf was rid of the appalling substance, Aragorn spread the salve over the rest of the cuts and bruises that were on the prince's face.

Gently, Aragorn uncurled Legolas' hunched form and pushed the elf back until he was leaning on the cavern wall behind him to begin cleaning his torso. Ire rose in the king at what he found. Legolas' chest, like much the rest of his body, was bruised and beaten. Strange red splotches covered his neck and collarbone. Further down his chest, bruised bite marks stood out in stark contrast to his smooth pale skin. Some of the bites drew blood and the bruises trailed all the way to hem of his leggings.

Legolas kept his eyes nailed to the rocky cavern floor. He could feel Aragorn's eyes on his body and it made him feel vulnerable. He began to tremble once more as memories surfaced of the uncomfortable, embarrassing feel of lustful eyes gazing at his naked body. Legolas clenched his eyes closed, reminding himself that Aragorn was in no way the the men who had used him. This was his friend who was only trying to help.

"I'm going to have you lie down _mellon-nin_, It will make it easier to tend to you. I want you to relax if you can." The man helped guide the elf to the cavern floor and tried to make him as comfortable as possible. As soon as the elf moved from where he sat, the man noticed a dark red smear on the floor and he stiffened. His eyes sought out Legolas' torn leggings and spotted the ominous crimson stain on the elf's inner thighs.

"Legolas... Do... Do you trust me?" The man hesitantly asked. He knew what he had to do, he was just scared of causing the prince more pain. He looked up to the elf and searched the depths of his weary blue eyes. This was the last thing the man wanted to put Legolas through and he feared what he might be forced to do if the elf refused the help.

Legolas looked up at the man bending over him. Of course he trusted Aragorn so the question caught him off guard and he looked at Aragorn with an uncomprehending expression.

Nervously, Aragorn illustrated what he meant. He placed his hands on the waistband of the elf's leggings.

"I-I... I need to see to you. You are hurt... Please _mellon-nin_... Do you trust me?"

Realization hit Legolas and he paled. No not this! He couldn't do this, not now, not when the memories were too fresh! The prince urgently shook his head and sat up with effort, his breathing hitched as he started to panic. Sweat began to bead on his brow and he trembled in both pain and fear.

Aragorn scooted next to the elf, facing the prince. He grabbed a cloth and wiped away the perspiration that formed on the elf's face. He felt rotten inside and his anger at the whole situation started to swell. Why did this have to happen? Why were there men out there that would do this to another being?

Quickly Aragorn squashed his anger. He was mad, he was furious, but he had to push his emotions aside for Legolas' sake. Smoothing the blond hair away from Legolas' face, he explained what needed to be done.

"Legolas. I know you are hurt, but I know not the extent of the damage that was done. You are bleeding _mellon-nin_... I fear what it could be. I don't want you to be in pain anymore "

"N-No! Please, no Aragorn. I-I can n-not!" The elf shook his head trying to gesture desperately as he felt his shaky voice falter. Tears were rolling down his face once more, but he was horrified that Aragorn was requesting him to bear the full extent of his shame.

Aragorn threw the rag in his hands to the cavern wall out of frustration. He wasn't mad at Legolas for refusing help, but his anger rose nonetheless and the last thing he wanted to do was take it out on Legolas. He looked over to the frightened elf and Aragorn's heart twisted. He reached out and placed his hands on either side of the prince's face and drew Legolas close, bowing both their heads so that their foreheads touched. Aragorn knew Legolas was caught up in painful memories and he offered silent support as his thumbs gently wiped the prince's silvery tears away.

"Legolas..." he whispered trying to pull the elf out of his distress. "I wish I did not have to do this. I am so sorry my friend, but please I beg you, let me help you. I-"

"No." the elf croaked.

"Legolas?... We don't have a choice. This could be serious and -"

"No!" the elf interrupted again. Another sob shook his shoulders. "J-Just... Leave me alone Strider... Please..." His voice trailed off.

"Now why would I do that?" He didn't understand the elf's request and a small shot of panic entered his mind and he feared what the elf would say next.

"Estel... I-I can't go on... What has been done... I'm too broken. A weak elf has no use in this world and you should not-" a sob jerked his frame again. "-you should not have to deal with the damage that has been done."

Legolas could not hold his emotions back any more. He gripped Aragorn's forearms on either side of his face and bowed his head as much as Aragorn's embrace allowed. Silent sobs wracked his graceful frame as he admitted his defeat.

Legolas wept.

Tears streamed down his face and his breathing hitched as the sobs tore through his body. Legolas loathed himself. He wanted the ground to swallow him up so he could leave this world. He felt as though he were far too damaged for anyone to help him. In fact, he felt so pathetic, he didn't deserve the help.

Aragorn pressed Legolas close and held the prince's head against his shoulder. Wrapping his arms around his trembling friend, he offered support, comfort and protection. Tears began to spill down his own face as he held his friend and felt every shudder tear through the elf that he held in his arms.

"Oh _mellon-nin..._" Aragorn's whispered into the elegantly pointed ear. His heart further went out to the elf. He wished he could erase those horrible moments and felt helpless that he could not. He began to stroke the back of Legolas' head to soothe him as he talked. "I... I'm so sorry _mellon-nin_. I'm sorry this happened to you. You didn't do anything to deserve this... No one should have to go through this. I can't even begin to imagine what you are going through, but you are not going through it alone. What has been done to you is not a burden to anyone, least of all me. You didn't ask for this to happen, you didn't seek out abuse. This was forced upon you. It does not mean that you are weak."

Aragorn grabbed the prince's head and pushed him back so he could look Legolas in the face. "Legolas... Legolas please look at me."

Legolas' pain-filled blue eyes fluttered open and locked on the gray eyes of the king as the man spoke. "I want to help you. Please Legolas. Don't leave us. Don't leave me. After everything we have been through together, all we have conquered and all we have seen, please don't leave me now. Not like this. You must let me help you. There is hope for you and I know that you are far stronger than this."

Legolas was trying to calm his emotions as the man spoke. Aragorn's pleas tore at him, but his own pain and disgrace was so heavy it felt like he was suffocating.

"Legolas, I cannot lose my brother. Please..." The man said meaningfully. The elf saw the tears in the man's eyes and it nearly undid him again.

It was true; the man and elf had been through so much together over the many long years they had known each other. They had a strong connection, a bond that only brothers really shared. The man considered Legolas no less dear than his adopted brothers, Elladan and Elrohir. The thought of losing one of his family members, extended though it may be, was something the man could not even contemplate.

Legolas dropped his gaze. He knew he was being selfish but his heart felt as though it was torn and bleeding, much like his body was. He felt as though he would never be able to recover from this. He hated to leave those he loved behind. It was cruel, but having them deal with his pain and disgrace was just as bad, if not worse.

"Please." The man whispered. He started to choke up for the elf didn't immediately accept his help. Legolas was actually contemplating death, stopping his heart forever and leaving this world.

The elf calmly shook his head. He could not continue. He hoped it wasn't cruel, but leaving this world seemed better than facing the pain.

The pain.

Leaving would end his pain physically... mentally... emotionally…

The man wrapped his arms around the elf and held him tightly. His grief overcame him as the elf made a choice.

"No _gwador-nin_... No!" (my brother) Tears spilled down his face as he begged the elf not to leave "... please Legolas."

Fanatically, the man pushed the prince back. His anger was on the rise again and he gripped the side of the prince's head tightly, giving it slight shakes to emphasize his words.

"No!" he commanded "I'm not going to let this happen to you. You cannot just go Legolas. You are stronger than this. You can be mad at me for this, you can hate me, but... dammit Legolas! I'm not going to just let you die! Even if it is by your choice. You have far too much to live through yet!... You... You made a promise to me. You said that no matter how many of your people left for the Undying Lands, you never would. That you would stay here until the end of my days... *I*...ME... I-am-the-one... who has to leave this world. *_Not_* you. My time will come one day, not by choice, but it will come. You said you would not leave until I have."

The elf grabbed at the hands that trapped his face and pushed them away softly. The anger in the man's eyes scared him. He had seen Aragorn angry, but he had never been angry *_at_* him. The elf swallowed the lump in his sore throat. He didn't want to break his promise, but how could he keep it?

"Strider... I-"

"Please!" The man cut him off. He couldn't hear the prince's choice again. He searched Legolas' blue eyes for a spark of life that he could ignite again. He was desperate.

Legolas took in a deep breath and turned his face looking at the cavern wall as if searching for something in the blank rock. He was torn.

"Please." The man whispered again. The elf turned back to the man and looked into the depths of his grey eyes. He was surprised to see guilt, anguish, grief, concern... but there was something else in there too... Hope? The elf tried to make his voice strong, but it came out as a whisper.

"There is no hope for me, Estel."

The man shook his head. "*YES* there is... Legolas... you just cannot see it right now because this is all too fresh, but you have to give yourself time to heal. It will not happen in a few hours, nor a few days... I understand how you must feel at this moment... But, I know you can recover from this... And I want to help you. You do have hope... It is me... Estel… Hope... your brother. We might not share parents, but we share that same bond. Please... Let me be your hope."

They remained unmoving and unspeaking for a time. The man would not accept the elf's irrational choice and silently prayed that Legolas would hold on. He did not know if the elf could just go at a moment's notice but did know a broken heart and grief could snuff out the elven light. He was about to resume his encouraging when he felt his friend take a deep shaky breath. Legolas carefully nodded his head but it was so slight Aragorn was not certain that Legolas even moved.

"Legolas?" he asked and searched the prince's features for the answer to his half asked question.

The prince nodded again. He relied on the gesture to communicate, feeling a dull pinching in his throat from the swell of feelings that would surely prevent him from speaking. He would try for Aragorn, his brother, though he was unsure how long he could hold on. He would try to keep the promise he had made years ago.

Aragorn sighed in relief and was in motion again. He wasted no time and wanted to spring into action before the elf had any more time to dwell over the matter and change his mind. The king pressed the elf to the cavern floor and placed his own body between Legolas and the fire, blocking him from sight so the dwarf could not see. There was precious little coverage for the prince and the man did all he could to help conceal Legolas to help put him at ease. Aragorn pulled the elven dagger from his boot and began to cut the leggings away from his friend's body. He placed the blade at the slender ankle and slid it up to the prince's hip, easily slicing through the soiled garment and repeating the same motion up the other leg. Aragorn slid his arm under the elf's waist and lifted him up as he removed the ineffective leggings from Legolas' body.

Aragorn did not think he could be shocked or saddened any further, but that was proven to be untrue as he began to look after the elf once more. Legolas' slim hips were viciously bruised from those who had been gripping him. The king had to quickly look away as he noted the elf's bruised genitalia. Retrieving one of the cloths, the man draped it over the intimate area to give the elf what little privacy and comfort he could.

Aragorn resumed his ministrations, cleaning the blood from wounds and spreading the soothing lotion over the bruises to help dull the ache. The elf was tense under the man's touch and he began to tremble softly once more. He shifted uncomfortably as the man's ministrations strayed low, spreading the salve over as many injuries as he could, but the man would not put the prince through the agony of unwanted to touch to a very specific area. Bruises were just that, and given enough time, the expert healer knew they would heal on their own. The salve he was using was to help bring the elf comfort, but if the task of applying it was worse than letting it be, he decided to leave the matter alone.

The man pushed the elf's legs apart to better clean the blood that covered him. Legolas took in a shaky breath and draped an arm over his face to hide his distraught features. Slowly his hand crept to his crotch and he covered himself to keep the small cloth from slipping off. He was extremely exposed and vulnerable and the elf was desperately trying to find security and not add to his shame with his pitiful reactions.

Aragorn found the source of blood that stained the cavern floor. In the dim light, he was able to see elf's abused aperture that was still bleeding sluggishly. Ragged tears fanned from the small swollen pucker and disappeared into the elf as the damage continued internally.

He moved around to Legolas' buttocks and took another rag and wiped up the gore that was found there. Blood was not the only bodily fluid found and the man knew the foreign matter did not belong to the elf. The man cleaned the prince quickly and thoroughly as he further suppressed his own rage a sorrow. Legolas jerked sharply at the touch and Aragorn saw the tears streaming down the elf's face despite being partially hidden by his arm. The man had to force himself to continue regardless of the added trauma the elf was being put through. Aragorn knew Legolas was using all of his inner strength and self control to remain still.

"I'm sorry _mellon-nin_, I just need to get you cleaned up." Aragorn whispered in a soothing tone. He reached for a fresh cleaning cloth and dipped it into the pot of water before he swiped at the area one last time. The elf gasped again and stiffened.

"Strider..." The elf gasped between his quiet sobbing. He was unsure if he could take much more. "Please..." he began to plea, but his voice was choking up with his emotions.

Aragorn knew the elf was begging him stop, but he could not leave the wounds untreated. He remembered his promise to stop if the elf could not take anymore, but this was serious and the healer was almost done. He made a quick decision to disregard the elf. It would all be over in a few seconds and he would deal with the repercussions of his actions after his friend was well cared for.

Aragorn set the rag aside and reached for the jar of salve. Dipping two fingers in the soothing lotion, he gathered a liberal amount on his fingertips and paused for a moment.

"Bear with me Legolas..." Aragorn murmured. Quickly, before the elf could protest and move away, he pushed his fingers to the elf's entrance, sloppily spreading the ointment across the torn flesh.

Immediately, the elf kicked himself back with a yelp at having been touched in that manner. The man calmly followed his friend, pushing the long legs open to inspect his work to make sure that the area was sufficiently cleaned and lathed in the healing concoction. He knew he could have done a better job, and the wounds he could see were also present internally, but he dared not risk any unnecessary contact. Legolas was cleaned and medicine was applied to an extent, at this point it was good enough. If the elf showed no signs of healing in a few days, Aragorn resolved himself to take his ministrations further, but only if it was absolutely necessary. He hoped that the elf's natural quick healing would not need further aid for Legolas' sake.

"I'm so sorry _mellon-nin_. But it is over now. I am done." The man sat back and wiped his fingers clean with a rag before he began to dig through his pack once more.

The elf sat up and breathed in deeply trying to calm the emotions that claimed him. He kept his eyes to the ground not quite knowing where to look. He ran his fingers under his eyes to catch the last traces of tears before they could spill down his face. He continued to carefully cover himself with his hands, adding more protection to his private area and to try and keep what little dignity he felt had left.

He began to shiver again as his exposed body felt the cold air around him in the shadows. A damp breeze drifted through the cavern, dimming the light of the fire before the winds swirled another direction and dissipated. The elf huddled against himself to try and keep warm.

The prince felt eyes on him. He glanced at the man who was still turning items over in his pack. Then, he looked across the fire and spotted the dwarf who was silently watching his two companions with concern written clearly on his face. Legolas' screams caused him to become worried and he watched what was going on, not sure if he needed to help Aragorn with the elf, or vice versa. Legolas and Gimli met each other's eyes briefly, but the elf looked away quickly as his body flushed with embarrassment. He had forgotten about the dwarf and now here he was, naked and crying after his best friend had to see the full extent of his shame and Gimli heard his miserable cries. Tears began to well up again and his frustration mounted.

Gimli got to his feet and walked to the opening of the cave pretending to be interested in the storm's progress. He looked out at the darkened forest; rain drizzled on top of the dead leaves filling the forest with a soft and soothing pitter-patter. He purposefully kept his back to the elf to give him some privacy.

Aragorn finally found what he was looking for and pulled out his sleeping shirt and pants. He knew the clothing would not fit properly on the prince's slender frame, but it was all he had. He passed the clothing to elf who grabbed at it needfully.

Legolas felt as though he could not get the clothing on fast enough. He unfolded the shirt and began to put his arms through the sleeves with difficulty. He was trembling and shivering so hard that he could barely get it on. Aragorn came to his aid, unclasping the top of the shirt and pulled it over his friend's head. It was too big and the excess material of the shirt pooled in Legolas' lap.

The man backed away to let the elf pull the pants on. He grabbed his handy metal pot and rinsed it out before he placed it on the fire once more and began to heat up water for a third time that night. As the water boiled, he dumped a few small handfuls of dried leaves and herbs into the water as he made a tea for the elf once again. This time, he added a small amount of a sleeping aid to the mixture. Normally, it would be the primary ingredient in a potent medication to drug his patients to oblivion before tending to broken bones or other major injuries. Both he and Legolas were no strangers to this drug from all of their long journeys and adventures together.

And that's what had him concerned. He knew how finicky Legolas was about taking medications, especially ones that knocked him out. This was due primarily to his Elven pride, constantly claiming that he did not need the medications when making light of his injuries, no matter how bad they were. But now, the elf was emotionally traumatized and he doubted the Elven prince would readily take any substance that would put him to sleep against his will. Legolas needed to feel like he had control of the situation and Aragorn did not want to deepen his friend's distress. He opted to add just a small amount of the sleeping herb, hoping the elf would not be able to detect the medication's presence in the tea. He added just enough to simply make his friend drowsy and allow natural sleep to kick in.

Or so he hoped.

He walked back to the elf who was tying the laces of the pants securely around his bruised hips. Aragorn handed the warm cup to the elf once more who hesitantly took it.

"The salve I have placed on your wounds will lessen the pain a little and should be kicking in now. But this-" Aragorn tapped the mug "-will help considerably. I need you to drink this - all of it. There is other medication in there too that will help fight infection. I know you are not typically prone to infection, but I want to take all precautions and do not want to leave you at risk."

Steam from the mug kissed the elf's face and he inhaled the sweet calming scent. He lifted the cup to his lips and took a small sip of the hot liquid, letting the warm fluid soothe his sore throat. It was difficult to swallow properly with the metal collar still wrapped around his neck, but he took another sip of the tea despite the object trying to choke him. He could feel the warmth travel all the way down to his core and he shivered again as he realized how cold he actually was.

Aragorn grabbed his cloak that was fanned out by the fire to dry from his previous errand in the rain. He draped it around Legolas' shivering shoulders and the elf grabbed the fabric, pulling it closer to his body while feeling the residual heat in the soft enveloping material. He wrapped his hands around the tin cup, absorbing as much warmth as he could.

In all his life, the elf had never felt the cold before. He knew what cold was - Ice was cold to the skin much like fire was hot, but his whole body had never been consumed by the deep chill as his mortal companions were so frequently subjected to in the colder months.

Aragorn was watching Legolas with worry for he knew that elves did not suffer from the temperature's extremities. He placed his hand to the elf's forehead, feeling for fever. There was none. The prince had simply been pushed past his limits and his body needed time to recover. He watched as the elf took another small sip of the tea before he left his friend's side and began to set up a place near the fire. He was stopped however by a slight whisper.

"Strider?" The elf called out to the man. Aragorn turned back to the prince and watched him carefully. "..._Hanna lle._" (thank you) the elf whispered. He was not quite sure why he felt compelled to show his gratitude, but despite the twisted and malicious feelings he was battling, he knew Aragorn was only doing his best for him.

A small sad smile worked its way into the corners of the man's mouth. "_lle creoso gwador-nin_" (you are most welcome my brother). He nodded compassionately to reassure the prince that he understood and was grateful he was not only able to help, but was allowed to help.

Aragorn moved off and grabbed his bedroll to lay it on the ground close to fire. He searched through their belongings to find something that would aid him in picking the lock that held the choker fast around Legolas neck. He found Legolas' Lothlorien brooch tucked away in the elf's rolled up cloak along with the rest of his belongings that Gimli swiped during their escape. He grabbed both the brooch and the cloak and placed them by the bedroll near the fire.

Once he had a place set up, he returned to the elf and helped him stand. He guided the prince a few paces closer to the fire and bid the elf to take a seat. Aragorn finished by handing the elf the tin cup of unfinished tea.

"You need to drink all of it _mellon-nin_." The man chided softly. The elf took the cup, but only held it in his hands. He was absolutely worn out and the small cup felt awkwardly heavy in his long fingers. He dropped his head to his free hand and held it for a moment as he took a deep breath. He felt so strange suddenly. Legolas really didn't want the rest of the tea and was about to set the mug down when Aragorn crouched next to him and placed his fingers to the bottom of the cup, encouraging the elf to drink.

"Come on Legolas, you need to finish the tea. Your body needs the medication. There isn't that much left." He looked over his friend and noted the tell tale signs that the potent sleeping herbs were beginning to affect the elf. The man pushed the cup to Legolas' lips and the elf took over from there. He tipped the cup back, and sipped at the amber liquid until he finished the last of the tea. Aragorn took the empty cup from him, rinsed it out and put it away in his pack. He settled down next to the elf and cautiously laid a comforting hand on the prince's stooped shoulder.

"Lay down and rest. I will see if I can get this off of you." The man traced his fingers on the metal collar still wrapped around the prince's neck.

The elf nodded mutely, not really hearing the man's words anymore. He felt detached from his body and was having a hard time comprehending reality. With help, the elf shifted and began to lower himself to the ground, but bolted upright with a groan as his bruised hips made contact with the rocky cavern floor.

Aragorn smoothed the blond hair away from the elf's face as the prince wrapped his hands protectively around the tender flesh.

"I cannot... it-it hurts" He spoke through clenched teeth.

Gimli was on his feet in an instant. He grabbed his bedroll that was still strapped to his pack and unrolled it before he folded the thick material into a compact square. He made his way to the man and elf and pressed the folded material to the rocky ground where the elf would lay, creating a thick barrier against the hard cavern floor.

Aragorn helped ease the prince back to the ground slowly. He held his breath, anticipating the elf to sit up again, but he sighed slightly when the elf was able to lie all the way down. He scooted closer to the being and slid his leg under the elf's head to prop him up with this improvised makeshift pillow. He grabbed both his own cloak and Legolas' to use as covers to help keep the prince warm. Aragorn brushed the disheveled golden locks of hair away from the elf's neck as he began to inspect the lock that held the thick metal securely around Legolas' throat.

Legolas lay on his side by the fire; his head rested on the man's thigh, exposing his neck so Aragorn had better access to the lock. The warmth wove its way through the fabric covering the elf and provided a soothing heat to his cold, aching body. He relaxed a little further as the stress slowly drained away and the herbs in the tea took full effect. He no longer had any strength for the adrenaline that fueled his body the past few hours started to recede. He watched the playful dancing flames of the fire, letting it lull him back into a silent stupor. His eyelids began to feel heavy and his vision slowly blurred as his exhaustion overcame him. He closed his eyes against the bright light of the fire and within minutes, the elf's consciousness left him as sleep took over.

Aragorn was too preoccupied to notice the change in the elf's demeanor. Using the needle point of Legolas' brooch, he felt the inside of the lock, drawing a mental picture of the gears and latches that the lock hid. He began to fumble with the mechanisms, trying to get them to release their hold. After many attempts, the lock finally clicked and popped open. A small triumphant smile spread across the man's face.

"Here, Legolas, sit up so I can get this off you." He said softly, but the elf made no move. "Legolas?"

"Aragorn." The dwarf called out in a hushed tone. The man looked up sharply and to the stout being who sat across the fire. Gimli was watching him and had his index finger pushed to his lips to try and hush the man. "He sleeps." The dwarf whispered.

The man leaned over the prone body and peered into the face of the sleeping elf. Legolas' eyes were closed attesting to his weakened state, but the lines of pain and distress that were so deeply etched into the fair features earlier had disappeared as the elf slept. He was breathing easier now that the collar had loosened a bit.

Aragorn gathered his friend's head and shoulders into his arms, lifting him just enough to remove the metal collar before he carefully placed the Elven prince back in his lap. The elf stirred slightly in his sleep and curled into himself as he continued to doze. He let out a relaxed sigh as he settled into a deeper slumber.

The dwarf took the collar from Aragorn and snapped the latch shut before he tossed it out of the cavern. He looked back to his companions and grabbed his own cloak. He walked quietly to the sleeping elf and covered the Elven prince, adding another layer of insulation against the chill.

"Will he be alright?" Gimli asked as he sat down beside the ex-ranger so they could talk quietly without disturbing the elf. He had heard their conversation earlier and it left the dwarf feeling unsettled. He watched as the man worried his lower lip with his teeth.

"I know not... physically, his injuries will heal..." The man let his voice trail off not wanting to think about the possibilities that the traumatic events could bring about. He directed his troubled gaze at the fire.

"Mentally?" The dwarf quietly asked. His brows furrowed. He didn't quite understand, but the man's reaction was beginning to answer his own question.

Aragorn shook his head. "He has a long road to recovery, if he can recover." He placed the palm of his hand against the elf's back and rubbed soothing circles in the sore, knotted muscles, trying to give Legolas encouragement to pull through, even as he slept. Aragorn looked at the dwarf to his side and noted the perplexed look on Gimli's face. With a heavy sigh, he looked back to the flames and continued.

"Elves are... they are sensitive... Grief can plague their hearts and more often than not, if they reach that point..." The man slowly shook his head. He didn't want to say it. "If they reach that point, they don't make it, Gimli." The man turned his face to the dwarf and Gimli saw tears begin to shimmer in the man's grey eyes.

The dwarf stiffened at the news, disbelief written all over his face.

Aragorn kept his voice low as he addressed the worry in his own heart. "He is very strong - one of the strongest beings I have ever known -"

"Aye." the dwarf nodded in agreement.

"But I only hope that he can beat the odds and will not fade." The man held on to hope. "He will need a lot of help and support if his heart is to heal. Only time can tell if that is a possibility, but we need to have patience and we need to help him through this."

The dwarf nodded. He looked to the still form of the elf and silently made a vow to himself; he would do everything in his power to see the elf through this. He reached across Aragorn's lap and let his thick hand rest lightly on top of the elf's golden head.

"I'll do anythin'." He whispered.

The man smiled sadly at the elf. "Rest Legolas, just rest. You are safe now."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

* * *

The rest of the night proved uneventful other than occasional lazy showers that passed through the area. Gimli kept vigil over the immediate forest surrounding the cavern and tended to the fire while Aragorn sat with the sleeping elf. Neither of them slept; rest would not find them despite how weary they were and they spoke very little to one another.

In just a few short hours, dawn came near. Her approach was slowed for the faint sunlight was blocked by a thick cover of clouds. The murky twilight seemed to drag on and the man and dwarf grew restless with the day's sluggish return.

With the slow transition into morning, the forest began to wake up with the gloomy light. The earth however, remained snugly wrapped in a blanket of thick fog when the moisture from the rain-soaked earth condensed in the cool air. Visibility was drastically limited and the veil covering the forest muted what little sounds were present.

Gimli stood to his feet and stretched against the stiffness that worked its way into his bones. He grabbed a few of the remaining logs and stoked the dying fire to chase away the damp chill that lingered in the cavern. He looked to the elf who was still deep in slumber; his golden head rested on Aragorn's leg and the bruises fully developed overnight leaving the once fair face to be discolored and swollen. Gimli let his gaze drop.

"What's the plan for today?" He asked in a hushed tone. He knew they could not afford to stay here another night; folk from the town were most likely about trying to find them after the chaos they caused. And yet he doubted that leaving would be possible because the elf was in no shape to travel.

The man shook his head as he thought. "I do not know. I fear of lingering here for too long. We should head back to Gondor, but..." He let his statement dissolve while he gently placed his hand on the elf's shoulder, confirming that he had the same concerns as the dwarf. The silence grew between them before the dwarf nodded in agreement.

"Besides, traveling in *_that_* -" Aragorn pointed to the cloudy forest "- could prove to be a wrong choice as well. There is no sense in walking blind in these foreign woods. We would not be able to see more than a sword's length in front of us and getting lost will only make things worse."

"Aye." The dwarf agreed. "Perhaps the day will clear up once the sun rises, and will burn up some of this cloud."

The man nodded at the statement. "Let me see one of our maps." He pointed to Gimli's pack that lay a few feet away. The dwarf obliged the man and shuffled through the pockets and pulled out a well worn map that was folded into a neat square. He passed it to the man who carefully opened the stiff parchment, making as little noise as possible to not wake their sleeping companion.

After finding their location, he ran his finger over the page looking at the various roads that criss-crossed through the land trying to decipher what they were most likely used for and trying to find the ones that lead the most direct route while keeping the fewest travelers. Gimli peered over his shoulder and followed the man's thoughts as the maze of roads were traced with Aragorn's fingers.

"Currently we are here-" the man said "-close to the southern border of the Dead Marshes. The Anduin River should be to our east... This road-" he tapped the paper with his index finger "-will take us around this way...-" He rubbed the paper a few inches where an ink line proved to be a road. "-toward Osgiliath. We can cut from the road here-" his finger made a tight circle around a marking "-and cut across the Pelennor fields. From there it will be a straight shot to Minas Tirith." The man looked up to the dwarf to gauge his reaction to their course.

"And why don't we just go this way?" The dwarf reached over the man's shoulder and pointed to a seemingly vacant area. "'It seems like it would be more direct."

"True enough, but this is no easy terrain. These are the foothills to the White Mountains. Gondor is growing safer but, I fear this is not safe enough - especially with what we have learned of slave traders out there capturing people. I would not risk that path." The man glanced to his lap at the unmoving form of his friend. "We have risked too much already. This road will be safer once we get closer to Osgiliath. I have stationed my men there to help with the reconstruction of the crumbling city and I do believe that it will provide us with an easier, safer road."

"And how long are we lookin' to travel?" The dwarf asked.

"Well..." the man pulled the map closer to his face, pouring over the parchment again. "We are pretty much retracing our path here. We will not make nearly as many detours through small towns, so I would wager that we should be back to the White City in... two day's time - three at the most... If we can travel much. We will have to see how Legolas fairs." He added the last bit as he folded the map back up and handed it to the dwarf who tucked it safely away in a leather pocket to keep the paper dry.

Aragorn remained on the cavern floor for a while longer until he was finally ready to get up. Carefully, he shifted Legolas off of his lap and removed one of the cloaks that was covering the prince in order to ball it and up and place under the elf's head to keep him comfortable as he continued to rest.

"I am going to have a look around to try and get our bearings. I believe that the south is in that direction," He pointed to the far end of the cavern for the dwarf to see, "But could be wrong." The man stood to his feet and walked toward the opening of the cave as he attached his sword to his side.

"Ah'right, but be careful!" The dwarf warned. "It's dangerous to walk in clouded forests with no idea where anythin' is."

The man nodded at the comment.

"'I'll get everythin' packed up so we can be on our way. Should be about time to get the elf up too, eehh?"

Aragorn looked to the elf and pondered over the statement for a few seconds before he shook his head. "No Gimli, let him be." Quietly, the man took a deep breath and looked as though he wanted to say something, but turned his sights away as his features worried into a look of uncertain guilt. It was not long before the man began to speak again and he admitted his deception. "I... drugged Legolas last night. It was the only way to ensure he got any bit of rest and I doubt the herbs have worn off. Let him sleep as long as he can. We will wake him later."

The dwarf looked surprised after hearing this, but only nodded in understanding before the man turned out of the cave.

The moment Aragorn left the cozy cavern, the cold damp air swamped him and he pulled his leather overcoat tight about his frame. His breath appeared before his face like a puff of dragon's smoke as the warmth coagulated sharply in the cold. He flipped the hood to his coat over his head and ventured into the misty forest. The fog was slowly beginning to lift and the forest that was hidden began to take shape around the area.

Their journey last night was not well documented because they were simply trying move as far away from the town as possible to put as much distance between any pursuers and themselves. Aragorn noted that he didn't really know where they were and with the thick cloud cover, any hint of direction was completely lost.

It was not long before the man stumbled on the glen that they had originally claimed for a campsite last night. Using this new position, the man back-tracked the path they took. He remembered seeing a creek nearby and matched it up to the one he saw on their map. If he was correct, it flowed from west to east, dumping out into the Anduin River. If he could find that creek and see what direction it ran, he could get a better sense of what direction to take.

The search for the creek took some time, but Aragorn's efforts were finally rewarded with the sound of running water over a hill a few paces away. He quickened his pace until he arrived at the banks of the brook and studied the flowing crystal clear water with autumn leaves dancing in the current. Scarlet birds chattered away while they dashed through thickets, bushes and tree tops with graceful energy. A gray fox trotted along the opposite shore and he perked his ears to watch the man before it casually vanished in the lingering fog.

Aragorn dropped to his knees on the bank and splashed a few handfuls of water over his face to wash the tiredness away from his eyes due to a sleepless night full of stress and sorrow. The man gasped as the icy water tingled his skin. He briskly rubbed his face before he sat back on his heels and began to wipe his face dry with his sleeve. As he did so, he could not help but notice an abnormality on the river bank. A few paces away, a hand sized rock had been pried loose of the gritty soil and was resting on top of the otherwise level bank. The rock was turned over and a very fine coating of sand and grime covered the portion that had once been in the ground. The man's brows furrowed while he regarded this rock.

It had been raining pretty heavily until a few hours ago and Aragorn noted that the sand that clung to the rock should have been washed away. The man made his way over it and studied the earth. His ranger's expertise was kicking in and he observed faint boot prints on the sandy beach. There was more than one set and he followed the tracks for a while as they spanned the depth of the creek bed. The tracks lead to the tree line and went off into the forest from the direction he had just come.

Aragorn concluded that these tracks were relatively fresh because the storms would have covered them up forever. But what in the world were people doing out in the forest in the wee hours of the morning? Something did not sit right with the ex-ranger.

Aragorn followed the tracks all the way to the glen he had passed. From there, the footprints scattered and went in all directions. These men were on a hunt.

Aragorn paled when realization hit him; he, Gimli and Legolas were the ones being hunted. Someone from the town had picked up their trail last night and had come very close to finding them.

Aragorn wasted no time as he ran back to the cavern.

* * *

Gimli was surveying the fog's progress when he heard Aragorn approaching.

"What did ya' find Lad?" Gimli asked.

"We need to head this way," Aragorn pointed through the forest "And it would serve us better to leave sooner rather than later." He added quickly as he ducked into the cavern with Gimli closely behind him.

"What's goin' on? What did ya' see?" The dwarf quietly pressed for more information.

"We are being tracked."

The dwarf's mouth dropped slightly at the news. "What?"

"It appears someone is looking for us. They picked up our trail and followed us to the glen. From there, the trail scattered. They have not found us yet, I think we have the weather to thank for that, but we should get out of here before we are discovered."

The urgency in the man's voice spurred Gimli into motion and the dwarf began to pack hastily.

Aragorn couched by Legolas and began to speak the grey tongue to calmly wake him. He moved his hand to the elf's back and rubbed it lightly, beckoning him to wake up. It took a few moments of gentle encouragement, but the prince finally stirred and his eyes blinked open.

"_Aur vaer mellon-nin_" (Elvish for 'good morning my friend') The ranger smiled slightly at the groggy face that stared back at him.

"_Mani?_" (Elvish for 'what') The elf's quiet voice was rough and he squinted against the light as sleep receded. The smile on the man's face deepened as he watched the elf regain his senses.

"The sun has risen only a little while ago, but it is time to get up. We need to make our way back to Minas Tirith."

The statement seemed to wash over the elf who remained motionless on the cavern floor. He heard the words the man spoke, but he could not make much sense of them. His eyes began to blink heavily with the effort to keep them open and the struggle to remain awake was noted by the man. He grimaced slightly knowing that the drugs he secretly administered to the elf were not helping right now and were pulling the prince back under. He wished he did not have to wake his injured friend, but they had to leave.

"Legolas?" Aragorn said gently and he squeezed the elf's shoulder to distract the sleep claiming him. "Come, Greenleaf. We need to get moving. Can you sit up?"

The elf's eyes rolled open once more, but the man's encouragement seemed to have more weight this time. The elf turned his head and looked about as if noticing where they were for the first time, but accepted their location without any fuss. He did not answer Aragorn's question and was still processing the world about him faintly.

"Let's get you sitting so you can wake up." Aragorn reiterated. He slid his hands under the prince to help get him off the floor.

Legolas winced as he moved his arms for the first time that morning. His muscles were shot from being forced to bear his weight for so long during his imprisonment and the slightest movement flared an aching burn. The elf let off a soft moan with the pained effort to get upright, but did not fight against the attempts to push him into a sitting position.

Legolas took a deep breath into his sore lungs. He felt disoriented and he could not focus on any sight for too long. A slight light headedness washed over him and he bowed his head to his hand as the sensation wouldn't leave. His stomach began to feel sour and he sighed once more to try and ease the unpleasant perception. On top of that, the bruises and wounds covering him were starting to wake up and he hurt everywhere.

The man watched the dazed elf for a while and the regret in drugging him only deepened. He knew full well of the possible side effects before the elf took the tranquilizer on an empty stomach, but at the time he hoped the mild dosage would not be enough to have residual effects, aside from drowsiness. Though he allowed the elf to sleep as long as they could afford, Legolas was not granted a full night's rest. The potent herbs generated a sickly feeling and caused him to want to curl back up and go to sleep.

"I don't feel well Estel..." The elf murmured as he drew in another deep breath. Aragorn knew that was a massive understatement.

"I feared you wouldn't. Give yourself a few hours and you will feel better..." The man knew exactly what Legolas was speaking of. He evaluated the prince again to be sure it really was the side effects of the drugs that were causing the prince's discomfort rather than some other unknown factor.

The elf closed his eyes and pushed his thumb into the sides if his head to try and ease the headache that started to bubble up while the man checked his pulse and felt for temperature. He grimaced when he pushed on his wounded temple and dropped his hand to his lap.

"You will feel better once you eat and drink something. It will help flush your system out." The man said as he rummaged through their belongings to find some source of food that would be gentle on the elf's queasy stomach.

"...Flush what?" The elf's words slurred slightly with tiredness and he rubbed his eyes with his fists. He didn't know why, but Aragorn was not making sense.

The man returned to the prince with a leather pouch. He pulled at the drawstring to open the top and scooped out a small handful of salted nuts and dried fruit. He held the food out to the elf, but the prince just shook his head. The thought of food was enough to make him gag.

"Legolas... you need to eat something. It will help you."

"Help me with what?" Legolas' voice was a little harder this time as the man did not answer his first question.

Aragorn sighed and rolled his eyes slightly before he gave Legolas the answer he was seeking. "The drugs in your system. Now eat." The man extended his hand to the elf to try and get him to take to food again, but most importantly, to try and distract the prince from asking more questions. It did not work.

"What drugs?"

With another sigh, the ex-ranger came clean. "The ones I slipped into your tea last night to aid you in sleep -" The man stammered as the hazy elf glared at him. "Legolas, I meant no harm, you know this. You were not going to find any peaceful rest last night after-" Aragorn stopped mid sentence as he caught himself bringing up what had transpired. He winced internally when the elf quickly dropped his gaze and looked off. It was very clear that he was trying not to let the memories return.

Aragorn cursed himself inwardly. He waited until the elf felt safe enough to look back at him before he spoke again.

"I am sorry-"

"Don't - Just... don't." The elf didn't want to hear anymore and he cut off any conversation on the topic as fast as he could. Aragorn understood the simple request and moved on. Harping on this would only cause more damage and he had no desires to start the day off this way.

"We have a long journey ahead of us. I would that you ate. Both to help with the drugs in your system now, and to aid your strength later." He held out the handful of nuts again, but the elf refused once more. "Legolas..." He chided.

"I do not want it Strider."

"You need to eat."

"No!" The elf's temper began to flair as his frustrations began to build.

Gimli was watching the two cautiously and decided to intervene. Aragorn's persistence and Legolas' stubbornness was not a good mix even on a normal day and he made his way over to the two bickering beings. He stepped between the man and the elf and grabbed the bed rolls that Legolas had been laying on. He began to fold the thick fabric to pack it away and as he did so, he came to the elf's aid. Given the situation, he wanted to take any road to make the elf feel more comfortable.

"Aragorn, have ya' not heard the saying 'you can lead an elf to water, but ya' cannot force him to drink?'"

The prince wrinkled his nose in disdain. "I do believe the phrase is about a horse, and I, *_Master Dwarf_*, am no horse." He spat.

The dwarf gave a small shrug. "Well Laddie, those beasts seem to have a mind of their own and are strong willed... Just as yourself." The dwarf winked at the elf letting him know that what he said was no more than a jest. Gimli turned to the man and spoke. "He'll eat when he's ready." With that, he slapped the elf on the back once before he went about his business packing up.

The prince winced as he was pushed forward slightly and his injuries were aggravated by the harsh but friendly contact. His smoldering eyes watched the short being pick up the last bedroll and pack it up. He actually appreciated the dwarf coming to his defense, but he couldn't help but feel slightly insulted by Gimli's words. He turned his attention back to the man who was placing the food back in the pouch.

"Forgive me Legolas." He whispered as he brushed the grains of salt from his fingers.

"There is nothing to forgive _mellon-nin_" Legolas replied with a weary sigh.

"I'm just worried for you. 'Tis all."

The elf felt tears forming deep in his eyes and he looked to the fire to give himself a distraction. "Me too."

The weary heartache surged in the man at the elf's soft comment and he flashed the prince a sympathetic smile that was laced with concern. He reached out and placed a comforting hand on the prince's stooped shoulder, giving it a light squeeze and allowing the elf to feel the comfort in the slight contact. The man rose to his feet and began to help the dwarf pack.

It wasn't long before the company was packed up. Gimli made his way to the fire and kicked the flames out while squashing the hot coals. Aragorn made his way to the elf to help him stand. He extended his hand to the prince and Legolas put up little resistance as he took the offered help.

The man pulled the prince up, but the moment the pull reached the elf's shoulders, the burning ache was pushed well beyond discomfort and he gasped. A sharp flash of pain ripped through his core in tandem with his movements and he cried out in shock at the violent attack. He wavered on his feet as the pain consumed him and he reached out to grip anything that would keep himself steady. His long fingers found the leather shoulders of Aragorn's black overcoat, balling his fists while trying to cope with the pain. His knees wobbled and he felt unsteady while he could not breathe.

Aragorn's eyes went wide with concern. He hooked his elbows under Legolas' arms at his ribcage, fully prepared to catch Legolas if he fell. He watched as the taut lines of agony over the pallid, youthful face constricted with each spasm until the pain subsided to a bearable level.

Aragorn remained still for a few moments as the prince panted and gathered his composure.

"Legolas?" the man asked only loud enough for the elf to hear. The compassion in his voice asked the question for him, begging to know what was wrong. Legolas, however, cut him off with a shake of the head quickly followed by a curt nod indicating that he was alright. Aragorn was not put off and he remained where he was until he felt the elf move away under his own power.

The prince backed away slowly once he was sure he would not fall. He noted his cloak on the ground and bent slightly to pick it up but at the slight movement his backside protested sharply and he tensed as the pain passed.

Aragorn quickly bent over and picked the fabric up and passed it to the elf who was flushed slightly. He acted as though he didn't notice, not wanting to draw attention to the elf's discomfort. He left Legolas alone to go gather their belonging.

The man picked up his gear; strapping his sword to his hip and placing his pack at his side. He then reached for the elf's bow and quiver and slung them over his shoulder. Taking one last look to make sure nothing was left behind, he then turned to head out of the cavern with the dwarf in tow.

"Strider?" The elf called out. Aragorn halted in his tracks and turned back to the cavern to find Legolas watching him. He back-tracked as Gimli turned out of the cave.

"Yes? What is it?" He asked.

Without a word, the elf reached out carefully to grab the leather straps of his quiver's harness. He refused to let the pain be played out across his features this time and grit his teeth as he tried to take his possessions from Aragorn. However, the man shifted back, intending to keep the weapons on his back rather than give them up.

"I want my weapons." The elf said flatly.

"You can scarcely move let alone walk without pain _mellon-nin_. Let me carry it so as not to weigh you down."

"A bow and quiver does not possess so much weight that I cannot carry them myself... I want my weapons." The elf reached again for the quiver and the man reluctantly gave them up. Aragorn was saddened as he realized that the elf did not feel safe without any means to fight at his side, but he was not surprised.

Legolas shrugged the harness over one shoulder and tucked the case of arrows under his arm rather than strap it on properly and have the quiver lay across the injuries on his back. With his longbow clutched in his hand, the elf stiffly walked past the man and out of the cave.

* * *

The day wore on as the three companions traveled. The cloud-covered sky did little to lift their spirits and by the time they were ready to halt for the night, the clouds darkened and began to douse the landscape with another torrential downpour.

The man and dwarf took their time traveling, watching the elf cautiously to make sure he was not pushing himself too hard. Legolas on the other hand worked with a vengeance to mask the pain he felt and the emotions that would attack him frequently. He could not walk with his usual poise and every step was quickly becoming intolerable. When the heavens opened up, the man and dwarf cursed the deluge, but the elf welcomed it as it would give him the convenient excuse to go no further.

As the rain grew heavier, the company was hard pressed to find a suitable place to make camp for the evening. A grove of hemlocks provided the driest place around as the leafy needles splayed from their tightly knit branches creating a thick, dense canopy overhead. Very little water made its way to the ground and the earth was blanketed by the brown, dehydrated, leaf litter that the mighty evergreens shed so frequently.

Dropping their bags by the base of a large tree, they began to set the camp up. Gimli busied himself with starting a small fire while Aragorn took the time to make the space comfortable. He kicked the dried tree needles into two large mounds near the base of a tree, before placing the two bed rolls they had over top of the makeshift mattresses. He set his pack down beside one of the mattresses.

He found the elf assisting in the setup of camp and guided him to the cozy spot while convincing him to take some rest.

Legolas put up little resistance. His injuries throbbed mercilessly and the elf lowed himself to the ground with difficulty. His whole body was sore both from the abuse he had endured and the exertion he forced upon his already weakened state. The constant pain was starting to make him feel ill and he wanted nothing more than to simply relax for a while.

Aragorn came to his aid and helped seat the prince. Legolas refused to allow any pressure on his backside and the elf shifted uncomfortably until he was able to find a position that did not cause him any discomfort. The prince drew his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them just as he had the night before. The elf watched the man and dwarf busy themselves until they were satisfied that camp was suitably set up and the gloomy light in the sky vanished.

Gimli retrieved the small metal pot Aragorn had carried and placed it into the fire. He added water to the pot which boiled merrily away and then he found a pouch of what looked to be some sort of bean and rice mix that they had packed. He started making a small meal while he and Aragorn talked about the next day's travels.

The small meal was divided amongst the three, but once again, the elf refused the food. Dealing with the crushing depression all day took its toll on him and it left him with no appetite whatsoever. Aragorn and Gimli tried to encourage the elf to eat, but gave up once they saw the elf becoming frustrated with their concerns.

When the meal was cleaned up for the night, Aragorn sat on the bedroll with the elf and began to tend to him. The man did not hover over the elf nearly as long as he did the night prior for he made sure the prince was well cared for during his initial healing treatments. But still, he cleaned the wounds, removing the stale healing lotion and placed a fresh coating of salve over them to ease as much discomfort as possible. Just as the previous night, the elf was uneasy under the healing touch and he spoke little.

Aragorn had half a mind to make another sleeping tea to ensure the elf got some rest, but he had no wish to betray his friend's trust as the elf was not exactly thrilled at being drugged the first time. Besides, the prince had nothing to eat in the past twenty-four hours and he was sure the elf had little substance even before that. The herbs were known to wreak havoc on an empty stomach and he did not want to delay their journey in the morning nor add to the elf's mounting distress.

Aragorn did as much as he could on the Elven face and torso, but did not stray lower than that. He knew Legolas was in discomfort from the brutal wounds to his backside, but it proved to be a tricky subject to bring up. As a healer, the man knew leaving any injury unchecked could have terrible results, yet the resistance the elf had shown thus far with his abuse left Aragorn certain that further ministrations would not be allowed. Aragorn asked the elf a few questions regarding how he felt and the type of discomfort he was in, evaluating whether or not further medical attention would be required.

The elf flushed while he quickly answered Aragorn's questions regarding his intimate areas. He kept his eyes downcast as the shame building inside grated painfully on his emotions. Tears began to shimmer in his eyes and he was disappointed with his own reactions. He choked the tears back, determined not to let his weakness show.

The effort was not lost on Aragorn and he regarded the elf with painful emotions of his own.

"Legolas... you... you do not have to hide from me _mellon-nin_." He whispered to the elf.

Legolas swallowed hard and shook his head.

Aragorn didn't know what Legolas meant and he watched the elf trying to decode the reactions. The man reached out to gather his friend in his arms, but the elf resisted the contact and pulled back. Aragorn stopped instantly.

Despite how hard the elf was trying to remain impassive, the tell-tale signs of an oncoming emotional breakdown were clearly readable on the elf. The man watched as the prince held his breath to keep the sobs at bay and the way his lower lip quivered ever so slightly. He was certain that one more push would crumble Legolas' composure.

"Please Legolas... Talk to me. What can I do?" The man asked and a lone tear slipped down the elf's bruised cheek. The prince wiped it away with hasty movements.

"I just want to be left alone Aragorn." The elf whispered. The man heard the sincerity in the request and he nodded in understanding. He gently reached out to hold the elf's face and pressed their heads together.

"Alright Legolas, but please know that I am here if you need anything." A shudder rippled through the prince and Aragorn grabbed the elf's discarded cloak and draped it over Legolas' shoulders before backing away.

Soon the camp stilled and Aragorn and Gimli made preparations for the night watches. The dwarf volunteered to take the first half of the night and he made a comfortable seat around the fire to begin his watch.

Aragorn curled up on the empty pine mattress and let out an exhausted huff. As a king, he had become accustomed to a more regular sleep pattern and had not traveled in this manner much since the War of the Ring was over. Despite his exhaustion from his travels and the sleepless night prior, the pine needle mattress was proving to be less and less comfortable the longer he lay on it. He smiled slightly to himself as he noted how the privileged and pampered life of a king had changed him so much in a seemingly little amount of time. He was more tired than he thought he ought to be and his mind wandered down happier times out in the wilds with his fellow rangers. How they use to push themselves; Chasing orcs for days without rest, pursuing an end to all things evil and guarding the north-lands by sheer force. What a changed man he was now?...

Aragorn pulled himself from his thoughts as he looked at the camp one last time. The dwarf was quietly digging through his belongings for some unknown object. Aragorn tilted his head to find the elf was still up and was fighting sleep.

"Legolas, why don't you lie down and rest?" The man whispered.

The elf turned a fatigued look upon the man and shook his head. Legolas was beyond weary, but he dared not sleep. Even in the waking world, the elf was haunted by viscous daydreams that his memories created and he was tormented by his emotions. While the elf wanted nothing more than to slip into blissful oblivion, he knew that the reprieve would not last long as nightmares would surely take over. He had no desires to re-live a single moment of the horrific events and would not willingly put himself into a position where he could not control his emotions that would further his disgrace. No, he would rather suffer through a drained state of exhaustion rather than let his weakness show, even around his closest friends.

The man reached out and placed a hand on the elf's knee trying to bring the elf out of his thoughts.

With a sigh, Legolas shook his head one more time. "I will not find rest tonight Aragorn." his voice was just above a whisper.

Aragorn did not have much more energy as the hands of sleep clutched him and began to drag him under. The man let out a yawn. "Legolas, do not overtax yourself. Please promise me you will at least *_try_* to get some rest?"

The elf pressed his lips into a thin line.

"I will." The elf lied, but it was lost on the man. With that, he curled up and within minutes, Aragorn was fast asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

* * *

The woods were relatively quiet as the rain subsided and the wind did not stir. During the later hours of the night, the eerie, yet common call of a great owl drifted through the trees as the wise creature patrolled the area in search of a meal. Off in the distance, a chorus of coyotes barked and sang as they bonded and bickered over rank within their pecking order. This howling was not frightening like a wolf's call as the smaller canines had no ties with orcs and the playful sequels sounded like joyous laughter as they had the woods to themselves for the night.

Gimli sat on an old decaying log that he had pulled from the forest and placed near the fire to make a comfortable perch to take his watch. He pulled his pipe out to give him some occupying activity to keep him awake and alert and he lazily blew smoke rings into the still air. He refused to wake the man to take his watch as the dwarf did not feel the urgency to rest like Aragorn did. So Gimli kept vigil over the camp through the whole night.

Legolas was also up as he had never rested to begin with. He had not moved since being seated on the bedding and he watched the small fire with a distant gaze. His thoughts turned inward as the sorrow he tried so hard to fight off all day kept creeping back. Every now and then, the familiar burn of tears would flair up and he would shift his gaze around camp to try and disrupt the emotional landslide that was begging to come down. He glance at the dwarf and watched with no real interest as Gimli concentrated on blowing smoke rings in the same fashion Gandalf used to.

The two did not speak; the dwarf was hoping that the boring atmosphere would induce his friend into sleep, but as the hours dragged on, the elf remained awake despite Gimli's hopes. At last, the dwarf could stand the silence no longer and he broke into idle conversation.

"So Laddie, how do things in Ithilien go?" The dwarf spoke softly.

The elf jerked slightly at the sudden voice. "What?" he asked. Legolas heard the voice though he did not catch a word of the dwarf's meaning.

Gimli smiled as he took another puff of his pipe. "Your work in Ithilien, how does it fair? It's been a few months since we saw each other an' the last time we had talked, I remember you were working hard, but there was a lot left ta' do."

Legolas looked to the fire as he thought. He knew what the dwarf was doing; giving him something to think about and distract him from his misery. His response was not immediate, but with a sigh, Legolas gave into the discourse. He did not really feel like talking, but he answered the dwarf's question regardless.

"There is still a lot of work to be done... but the city is slowly being rebuilt... and the forests are starting to grow with new life."

Gimli nodded as the elf spoke. He reached for his tobacco pouch and began to refill the clay bowl with the pungent dried leaves.

"An' how do ya' like it there?" Gimli pressed. Legolas drew in another deep breath as he pushed the depression back as much as he could.

"It is a fine enough place." he said matter-of-factly.

"But?" The dwarf chimed in as he struck a match and held it to the pipe to begin the slow smoky charring of the new tightly packed shag.

"But what?"

"Ya' don't like it there?"

"I did not say that."

"Ya' did not say it, but it sounded that way." The dwarf puffed vigorously until a fresh stream of smoke was pulled through the stem of the pipe. With another sigh the elf responded.

"I do find Ithilien to be beautiful, but as I said, there is much more work to be done." The elf looked to the dwarf with a half hearted smile to try and keep the chatter light. He did not want to get into conversing about feelings, especially when his were so horribly upsetting. The elf switched the focus and steered the conversation away from himself. "And how about you, Master Dwarf? How do things fair in Aglarond?"

Just as the prince had hoped, Gimli took the bait. The dwarf went on to talk about everything and nothing. He boasted about the Glittering Caves and how the stone work had been beautifully restored. Dwarves from all around came to help and many of them stayed on to make a new life for themselves. Gimli talked about the good fortunes from the earth and how much gold, silver and mithril were found within the adjacent caverns and beauteous crystallized rock formations found underground. He went on to talk about the various battles he had with the last of the orcs and goblins of the area and how the dwarves fought with pride and courage as they slaughtered the fell creatures while every dwarf was able to walk away from the fight.

Gimli wove story after story and Legolas sat quietly as the dwarf rambled on. The elf did not hear much of the stories Gimli told, but was content simply listening to the thick merry voice as it drove back the heartache that plagued him. The prince was finally starting to relax and he began to stare off as his eyes sought the flames.

Somewhere nearby, a twig snapped in the darkened forest. The dwarf was still talking away, but the elf picked it up even in his detached state.

"Did you hear that?" The elf interrupted the dwarf as Gimli was still going on with his tales.

"Hear what?" The dwarf asked.

The elf put a finger against the scabbed split in his lip to hush the dwarf as he listened. The forest was completely silent; the owl did not speak and cries from the coyotes no longer filled the air. Something was wrong.

The two did not make a sound for a while and they concentrated on the forest, straining to hear something - anything.

"It could just be th' forest playin' tricks on you. You're awful weary, Perhaps you're hearin' things." The dwarf suggested.

The elf did not comment as he looked out into the pitch-dark woods. He could not see much further than the ring of light that the small fire gave off and he began to feel uneasy as the silence stretched on.

"Nay, Gimli... Something is not right... I can feel it."

"Lad, ya' haven't felt right for some-" the dwarf halted his words as another twig snapped in another portion of the woods and this time he heard it. Gimli looked to the elf questioningly as they both kept silent and still.

"I'm gonna have a look..." The dwarf rose from his seat while he put his helmet on and grabbed his ax as he left the campsite to make his patrol.

Legolas watched the dwarf wander off into the woods. Once left alone, his uneasiness grew and the elf began to look for his own weapons. Aragorn had placed them a small distance away and the prince stiffly got to his feet and headed towards them.

"Strider..." The elf called out to try and rouse the man while he crouched to gather his quiver and knives.

"Stri-" Legolas attempted to say, but coked his words off quickly when a blade slipped from the shadows and slid under his chin.

"I would not do that if I were you." A low voice said. A man stepped forward and pressed the tip of the blade against the elf's throat, cutting off any type of resistance as he did so. "Drop your weapons. Get up." the stranger commanded.

Legolas looked to the one before him trying to get a glimpse of this man, but even in the soft light coming from the fire, the most defining thing the elf could see was just the dark silhouette of the man standing before him. The man was clad in dark clothing and a deep hood from a well worn brown coat covered the captor's entire face. Legolas squinted to try and get a peep of the man, but his head remained unseen. With a grim thought, Legolas noted how much this man resembled one of the faceless Nazgul.

In his peripheral vision, Legolas saw another man appear out of the forest near the sleeping king. He too carried a sword and the second stranger took his position in front of the ranger, pointing the blade over Aragorn's heart, but did not move any more than that. He seemed to be waiting for further orders and looked to the man who kept the elf captive.

Legolas' captor spoke once more. His voice was low so as not to wake the man, but the harsh tone was clearly heard and the elf knew the man meant business.

"I said get up. If you put up any fight or make any sudden move, he-" the man pointed to Aragorn "-is dead. You got that?" Legolas stared wide eyed at his captor and did not say a word. Reluctantly, the elf dropped his weapons and held his hands out to show that he was surrendering.

"Who are you, what do you want?" The elf whispered.

"You will find out soon enough. Now, get up. Do not make me tell you again." The man was quickly becoming frustrated and agitated. He turned the blade so the razor sharp edge was resting under the elf's chin and applied pressure, causing the blade to lightly bite into the soft skin. Legolas was forced to stand or else he would be cut.

Once the elf was standing, the man quickly rounded the elf and threw his arm around the prince's chest while the blade ran perpendicular to his throat. The man moved behind the elf began to push them into the forest and away from camp.

A shrill cry pierced the air and everyone froze. The shout was quickly followed by the clanking of metal on metal as a brawl erupted a short distance away. Legolas had heard that cry before and his heart dropped. Gimli had been found and was now locked in battle, fighting for his life.

At the alarming noise in the forest, Aragorn began to stir and he grunted as he was pulled from his deep slumber.

Legolas opened his mouth to shout to his friend, but the man behind him felt the sharp intake of breath and quickly covered the elf's mouth with his hand to halt the warning.

The man renewed his efforts to move the elf and he practically dragged the slender prince out into the woods. Legolas allowed himself to be lead away for a very short time. He did not want the other men to kill the unsuspecting human for resisting with his captors, but now that the camp was out of sight, the elf began to struggle with the man who held him.

The stranger proved to have the upper hand and the elf tried to slip from the firm grasp while being careful of the deathly sharp blade kept at his throat.

In the dark, the man did not see a twisted tree root sticking out of the ground and his booted feet connected with it, tripping them, and sending both human and elf tumbling to the earth.

The man jolted as he hit the ground and lost his hold on both the elf and his blade. The instant Legolas hit the ground, he rolled to the side to try and break free. He did not get far as the man twisted to his side and whipped his hand out, catching the collar of the elf's shirt and giving a powerful yank to pull the elf back towards himself. The man tried to curl over the elf in an attempt to pin him to the earth with his weight, but the lithe body slipped from his grasp and the man had to quickly shift and find a new way to hold the struggling elf.

The man caught one of the elf's svelte wrist, curling his fingers all the way around the slim appendage and pulled back. Legolas winced at the pull on his arm and the renewed burning sensation that flared up in his shoulders. He had no time to recover from his captivity and fought as well as his body could manage, but to the graceful elf, his struggles were pathetic.

The captor quickly let go as the elf balled his other fist and threw a quick clumsy punch at the man who was holding him.

The prince scrambled to his feet, but before the elf could take a step, the man swung his foot out and kicked the elf's legs out from under him. Legolas fell back to the ground, but caught his descent on his fingertips.

The man was prepared for the elf and when Legolas fell closer to the ground, he let his own fist fly. The man's knuckles connected under the elf's jaw bone and he knocked the prince to the earth with a thud.

The stunned elf could not move as his hazy mind could not formulate rationality. Someone stood over him and delivered a swift kicked to his stomach, forcing all of the air from his lungs in a breathless cry of agony.

The man wasted no time and straddled the reeling elf, pinning him to the earth. In one fluid motion, he leaned over and grabbed the elf's wrists and pushed them above the prince's head as he pressed his weight down to ensure that the elf could not move and get away.

Legolas cried out in pain as his arms were stretched above his head. He twisted his wrists as much as he could to try and break free, but the grip on them was too firm and the weight that was crushing down on them stilled his attempts to get away. He struggled violently to try and shake the man off of him, but sheer panic was setting in and his movements were becoming clumsy. The man had the upper hand in the struggle and Legolas started to tremble in fear as the man pressed his body close to keep the elf within his grasp.

"GIMLI!" The elf yelled out. His fear outweighed his pride and he called out in his needed of help. He was weaponless and now trapped. The panicking elf was desperate.

The instant the elf yelled out, the man gathered both slender wrists in one hand and brought the other one down in a hard punch to the elf's skull, cutting off the elf's alarm. Quickly, the man covered the elf's mouth with his hand to keep him silent. He cursed as he looked around the forest. He needed help if he ever hoped to successfully capture this elf.

"Keither!" The man gave a quick shout as he called for someone from his company to help him.

It wasn't long before someone came to his aid. A young man was a few paces away trying to find his comrade in the pitch black forest. He could hear the muffled cries of the elf as he struggled, but could not see anything.

"Jankins?" The man asked. "Jankins! Where are you?"

"Over Here!" Jankins responded. Keither found the two and assessed the situation quickly. He dropped by the prince's head and took control of the elf's hands.

"Bind him. Elves are tricky and dangerous. I don't want him to get away." Jankins ordered. Keither pulled a length of rope from his pocket and tied the elf's wrists tightly together before he stood to his feet. He placed a booted foot on top of the wrists and leaned his weight on them to keep them in their position. The man looked at Jankins in surprise as he had to apply more pressure to keep the elf from breaking free.

"Feisty fellow, isn't he?" Keither noted. The elf's cries were becoming more desperate as he tried to call out around the hand that was pressed to his mouth. Keither noted the struggle Jankins was having and he pulled out a rag with another length of rope.

"Here..." Keither crouched once again, never taking his foot off of the elf's bound wrists, and pushed Jenkins' hands out of the way. The elf instantly let out a cry, but the man pushed the rag in his mouth, cutting off the alarm with the choking material. He then took the rope and pushed it between the elf's lips to hold the material in place and he tied it at the back of his head. Keither smiled at his handy work and looked to Jankins.

"So... *_this_* is an elf?" he asked.

Jankins nodded as a he smiled back to his friend. "Yep! Don't tell me you've never seen an elf before?"

"No I was scarcely a teenager before the war of the ring was over and always stayed close to home until I was of age. From what I have been told, all elves left Middle Earth once the war was over... Are you sure this is an elf?" He asked again as he eyed the being pinned to the ground skeptically.

"No, not all elves left. Some are still here, but they are rare. Here take a look..." Jankins grabbed Legolas' chin and roughly shoved it to the side. He brushed the blond hair back from the side of his head exposing a gracefully pointed ear that was unique to the race of elves.

Keither eyes went wide with wonder as he looked at the being beneath him. "So he is an elf..." he mused. The man reached out to grab the pointed ear and rolled the cartilage between his fingers as he inspected the ear, making sure what he saw was in fact real and not a trick.

Panic surged through Legolas at the loathsome touch and he renewed his struggles with ferocity. Both men scowled before Jankins brought his fist down into the elf's stomach again, forcing the air from his lungs and leaving the elf motionless as he could not breathe.

That done, Jankins was able to straighten up, but he continued to straddle the elf, assisting in keeping him in place.

"What's going on over there?" The man inclined his head in the dark to the camp a small distance away. "Are the dead yet?" He asked as he looked to Keither.

"I do not know. I heard you call for me so I came running. I checked the borders, I do not see anyone else. It's just the man and dwarf."

Jankins nodded.

The two remained still despite the struggling elf beneath them and they kept quiet, listening to the faint sounds of metal on metal as their friends locked themselves in batted against the man and dwarf. Eventually, the noise dissipated and the last metal ring flew through the forest as someone let out a pained cry that rose and fell before the forest fell into complete silence.

"Go help them with the bodies." Jankins shrugged toward the campsite and Keither stood to head off. "I'll stay with this one. Do you have anything to stake his hands to the ground?"

Keither checked his person for any item he could use to drive into the ground. The only thing that would work was a long hunting knife at his side and he pulled it from his sheath and drove it into the ground between the elf's wrists. The broad hilt of the knife came to rest against the ropes restraining the elf and he stood back a pace and watched as the elf pulled against the makeshift stake with failed attempts to become free.

"I'll gather the men and bring them here." Keither said as he walked off.

"Hey, bring all of their belongings too! Elvish weapons will fetch a pretty penny and I'm sure that ax the dwarf had can be worth something."

"How do you want us to discard of the bodies?"

"Just dump them in the brush to keep them from sight. Dawn is just a few hours away, I want to be well away from here by then."

With that Keither turned on his heels and headed off to round up his companions.

Jankins turned his attention back to the elf and a smug grin split his lips. "Thought you could get away from me, huh?"

Legolas' shot the man with a defiant look. His fear gave way to anger and he brought his knees up to try and dislodge the man.

Jankins felt the awkward attempt to be thrown off and he reached behind him and grabbed the elf's thigh to halt the movement.

"Shall we finish our thirty minutes?" The man licked his lips as his eyes devoured the elf's body.

Legolas' eyes went wide at the remark and he let out a bloodcurdling scream that was kept in check by the gag. His breathing came in ragged gasps as he hiccupped around the tears that were beginning to fall.

**_No! Not again! Not again!_** The elf squirmed.

Jankins laughed slightly at the reaction. "Oh yes... those two so rudely interrupted our time together then took you away all for themselves. Well, they have paid dearly for that. They killed my two friends, so I killed them... and you... are going back to work the moment we get to town... But first, I want what I paid for!"

Jankins pulled at the shirt, popping the clasps that held the thin fabric closed. He marveled at the elf's torso, now littered with bruises. He let his fingers roam over the quivering muscles as the elf's panic heightened.

"What a dirty little slut you are... How many men took you I wonder?... and I wonder how many we can add to that number?"

* * *

Gimli walked off into the tree line to scout the forest. He had to admit it, the elf was right; there was something going on and even now, the dwarf could feel the uncomfortable aura surrounding them.

The light from the fire was soon blocked out by the thick cluster of growth and the dwarf's steps became more hesitant as he could hardly see in the dark forest. As Gimli pressed onward, he pushed himself between two trees and ducked under a tangle of thorny vines.

Suddenly, a swish sounded in the air as a sword arched by his face, trying to cut his head off. The dwarf dropped to the forest floor not a moment too soon and the thick blade clipped the top of his helmet lightly.

Gimli rolled to the side and with unusual grace for a dwarf, he was back on his feet. He could see the dark figure of some unknown person holding a sword with the tip pointed at him, but had not time to try and make out any features of the person. The stranger's blade was set in motion and the man slashed down, trying to strike the dwarf.

Gimli gripped his ax lengthwise and lifted the handle over his head which caught the razor-sharp blade. The weapons connected and the broad sword slid down the length of the handle and slammed into the dwarf's thickly gloved fist. Gimli's hand was pushed away and the ax he held slipped from his grasp slightly.

He tightened his other hand on the metal handle near the ax's blade and swung the handle out in an attempt to drive his attacker back. As the stranger stepped away, the dwarf advanced and spun the ax's handle in a quick tight circle within his palm to reposition his grip on the weapon.

The stranger swung at the dwarf from all angles and the stout being blocked each blow with accuracy. In a split second, an opportune moment arose and the dwarf took the open stance of his opponent to his advantage. With a mighty battle cry, he cleaved his ax against his attacker. The force of the blow knocked the man off of his feet and he landed motionless a few paces away.

The dwarf advanced and checked the man to make sure he was dead. As he crouched over the prostrate form, new noises began from the direction of camp as a fight broke out. Gimli wasted no time and ran as fast as he could back to the camp site.

He spilled into the area and took in the situation. Aragorn was on his feet fighting two men at the same time. The dwarf picked one out as his new target and began his advancement when another man ran into the clearing and locked his sights on the dwarf. Gimli turned to face his new foe and they erupted in a fierce brawl.

Aragorn was holding his own against the two men, but backed up a few paces as he began to lose his ground. He was concentrating on the flying blades aiming for his vital areas rather than where he was stepping. His feet suddenly became snared by odd leather straps on the ground and he fell hard to the forest floor. As the man fell, one of his opponents kicked his hand sending his sword flying out of his grasp while simultaneously a tip of a blade pointed at his chest.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Aragorn caught sight of what tripped him; It was Legolas' quiver. He quickly rolled to the side and grabbed the twin knives out of the scabbards as he continued his momentum. He scrambled to his feet holding both weapons out in front of him. The attackers seemed to be slightly deterred as they watched the man with two weapons instead of one.

Aragorn felt awkward with the unfamiliar knives in his hands. He was a very skilled fighter and could make use out of any weapon, but he always prefer to fight with a long sword, rather than two short knives. A quick thought came to mind and he noted how skilled his friend actually was in battle. He already knew Legolas was a battle hardened warrior whose fighting skills were sharper and more precise than even his own, but now that he was in Legolas' shoes so to speak, he found that the prince had to be in dangerously close proximity to his targets in order to take them down and the man was in awe.

One man made a sudden move and the ex-ranger thrust the left knife out catch the attack. He was not well prepared and his less dominant had lost his grip on the short weapon as the force of the blow sent the knife flying from his grip. Aragorn backed up a pace and placed the last knife in front of him.

Aragorn took a few steps back and he was pushed up against the trunk of a thick tree. One of the men pushed the sword forward while the other slashed his weapon down. Aragorn ducked and spun away as one weapon missed everything completely and the other was hefted into the thick trunk of the tree and became stuck.

Aragorn pushed himself forward and swung at the foe who still held his sword. He knew he had the man dead in his sights and he thrust and cut at his attacker. His eyes went wide as the man he was intending to bring down stood before him completely unharmed. The knives were far shorter than his sword and Aragorn succeeded in cutting the air only and missed his target.

Aragorn took up the battle again and stepped closer yet. The stranger brought his sword down upon Aragorn, but the king caught the blade on that of the knife's. In a blink of an eye, Aragorn brought his right leg up and his hand tightened around the handle of the curved Elvish blade concealed in his boot. With a deft movement, the curved blade struck the soft flesh of the man's side and he fell away gripping his bleeding wound.

Aragorn ripped the blade out as the man fell back and turned swiftly on his heels to the man who freed his weapon from the tree and was rushing toward him. Aragorn threw Legolas' knife through the air and the blade tumbled end over end until it buried itself deep in his chest. The attacker was stopped instantly as he dropped to the forest floor without a sound.

Aragorn looked across the camp and found the dwarf locked in his own battle and he scrambled to find his sword. After a few moments of looking through the shadows, Aragorn finally found his weapon and made his way back to the dwarf.

Aragorn watched briefly; He knew he could not just jump in the fight as the dwarf was locked on his target and in the heat of battle, the dwarf could easily misjudge who was near him and take Aragorn out by mistake. He also didn't want to cause a lapse in concentration that could prove fatal to the dwarf. But it was not long before Gimli found the upper hand and cut his foe down. The man fell to the ground clutching the deep wound to his chest as he let out a pained yell before his eyes closed and he went still.

Both man and dwarf stood in the campsite catching their breath after the surprise attack. The man bent over and placed his hands on his knees as he drew in deep breaths. The dwarf was checking over the bodies of the fallen men, making sure they were dead and posed no further threat.

The dwarf found one of the men Aragorn had cut down and saw the white handle of a familiar knife stick out of his chest. He looked around for the elf, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Eehh, Lad?... Where's Legolas?" He asked.

Aragorn straightened up and looked around.

"Legolas?!" The man called out and strained to hear a response. The forest was silent and dread began to fill his heart as he could not locate the elf.

The dwarf cursed as he could not find any trace of Legolas or any sign of where he went. "We've got to track him! Can you find any sign of him Aragorn?" The dwarf called out as he walked the edge of camp and looked to the ground.

Aragorn ran to his gear and slid his pack over his shoulder followed by his bow and quiver.

The forest began to crackle with sound as the quickened pace of heavy footfalls was heard running toward them. Aragorn tensed; Elves did not make such noise and he knew whoever was approaching was not Legolas.

Aragorn stepped into the shadows and rounded a tree to better conceal himself. He found the dwarf doing the same and both watched as a young man emerged from the forest and took in the horrific sight of his slain companions. He numbly walked through the camp taking in the sight of each dead man he came to. In the middle of the camp, the young man's eyes turned from shock to grieving as he slowly dropped next to one of the dead men.

"Harry?... Harry?... No! Harry!" The man let out a soft sob as he came to terms with the man's death. He gathered the man up in his arms and curled over the form of the man as he sobbed over the fallen companion. Aragorn could not help but notice the similarities in the two men. The scene before him tugged at this heart strings as he concluded that these men were probably related, most likely brothers.

The man brushed his fingers over the open eyes of his fallen comrade and folded the limp hands over his chest. He mumbled a few words that neither man or dwarf could make out and the man stood to his feet. He pulled his sword from its sheath with ferocity and he stood in the center of camp turning in a slow circle as he surveyed the area. He wiped at the last of the tears falling down his face.

"Where are you?" the man's voice was spoken angrily through clenched teeth. "Show yourself!" he demanded but neither man nor dwarf moved. "I swear, even if it is the last thing I do, I will kill you for what you have done! Show yourself!" He demanded one more time, but the forest remind still.

The man inclined his head as he called out to dark forest. "Jankins!"

Aragorn's eyes went wide at the recognition of the name. The man in the camp turned to flee when Aragorn smoothly unslung his bow and fired an arrow off. He could not afford to have more men show up in the camp and he feared for Legolas' fate. It was a cowardly move, to shoot someone in the back, especially when they were not personally locked in battle. But this man was associated with the men who attacked them and with a quick decision, Aragorn let the arrow fly to find its mark.

A sound thud was heard as the body dropped to the forest floor.

Gimli was the first one in motion and he darted with as much speed as a dwarf could muster through the forest. Aragorn tucked the bow away and was only a few paces behind the dwarf. Soon, sounds of a struggle were heard and Aragorn and Gimli slowed their pace.

They came upon Jankins who was straddling the elf. He was picking at the leather cording that held the elf's leggings closed. Legolas was doing everything in his power to try and get free, but the man was too well placed and laughed at the elf's weak attempts to call for help.

"Oh put a rest to it already! Do you really think they can hear your muffled cries?" The man eased his hand to the elf throat and squeezed his airways shut. "Now, be a good little slave and let your new master have his way." Once the laces were pulled apart the man's free hand roamed over the elf's torso as the strangling elf's movements were becoming slack.

"My, what a beauty you are..." the man awed over his prize and intended to lean down and kiss the blue lips of the choking elf when someone approached him.

Aragorn didn't even give himself enough time to be angered at what he saw. Faster than even he could register, his bow was pulled taught with an arrow behind the string. He boldly walked into the clearing and Jankins straightened up at the intruder.

Aragorn fired at point blank range and the arrow flew through his chest and thunked into a nearby tree.

Jankins gripped at his chest as a crimson stain rapidly soaked him. With a look of shock and pain on his face, he fell forward onto the elf beneath him and let out his final breath into the prince's ear.

Legolas was gulping for air as the bright spots before his vision began to disappear. He knew Jankins was dead, but how he did not know.

Gimli gained the elf's side and hefted Jankins' body off of the elf. Aragorn too came forward and cut the ropes that held the elf's wrists above his head.

Legolas bolted up right and as he did so, the man slid the broadsword carefully against the elf's cheek cutting through the rope gag. The elf ripped the rope from his lips, pulled the wadded up cloth out of his mouth and threw the items away with a disgusted shove. He choked back a sob at the narrow escape and he eyed the dead man a few inches away from where he sat.

Clarity was coming back to the elf. This was now the second time in a row that he could not defend himself. Had it not been for his friends…

Tears stung his eyes but he would not let them fall as the helpless feeling consumed him. The prince wanted to get away from the area and away from everyone as quickly as possible. With trembling hands, he hastily tied the cording to the leggings, closing them off with a firm knot.

Aragorn quickly shifted his position so he was crouching in front of the prince and assessed the elf. Blood covered Legolas' chest from where Jankins fell onto him and Aragorn was half worried that the blood belonged the elf.

"Legolas, are you -"

"I am fine." The elf's shakily voice was harsh and exacerbated as he combated the tears that assaulted him.

Aragorn did not believe a word of it and he moved to sit in front of the elf. He reached out and pulled the soiled, torn shirt open to see if the prince truly was unharmed, but the elf's features contorted in fear and he quickly pushed the man's hands away as he stood stiffly and shakily to his feet. He wrapped the bloody shirt around his torso and folded his arms across his chest to keep it closed since the clasps were broken.

Aragorn reach out to grab the elf and keep him in the area, but Legolas dodged the grasping hands for him and began to walk away. The dwarf tangled his thick stubby fingers in the hem in elf's shirt. Legolas turned suddenly and swatted the hand away.

"Do not touch me." The elf's voice was low and lethal as he glared at the dwarf before he turned to the forest and stalked off towards camp.

Legolas' pace was quick and he soon approached the camp with the man and dwarf on his heels. The once peaceful area was now disrupted and the elf froze as he took in the grisly scene. Five men were dead on the ground and it was evident that they did not go down easily. Blood was splattered around the entire camp and each man lay in a pool of their own gore. His quiver was tossed aside on the ground with his arrows strewn everywhere. One of his knives was embedded into the cavity of a man's chest, the other was missing.

Legolas moved as though he were in a trance. His movements were slow and smooth as he walked over to a dead body and pulled his knife out of it. He ran the blade in the ground to clean it off and he began to look for its twin.

Aragorn watched the elf with worried eyes. He helped his friend by gathering the quiver and replaced the arrows. He handed it to Legolas as he passed and he caught the elf's eyes. They were unusually bright with unwelcomed moisture and the man realized the elf was fighting his emotions.

Legolas snatched the harnesses out of the man's grasp and swung it over his shoulders, replacing the blades and bending over to retrieve his bow.

Aragorn knew that the elf was not going to stick around and he tried to talk to his friend. "Legolas..." Aragorn caught the prince's elbow and stopped him from leaving again.

The elf pulled his elbow free of the light grasp. "I am fine Strider..." But the rough voice belied the statement. Legolas took a few steps toward the forest.

"Where are you going?" The man softly demanded.

"I have no wish to stay here. I am heading to Minas Tirith-"

"At this hour? No you are not! It is not safe!"

The elf shot the man an incredulous look. "Oh?... And staying here has proven to be a safer choice?"

Aragorn held his palms out to the elf to try and placate with the agitated being. "Legolas... Just-"

"No. I am nothing but a burden to you and nearly cost you your lives. What good am I to anyone if I cannot defend myself even against one man..." Legolas pursed his lips as he forced the tears from his eyes. "I am leaving." The elf turned on his heels, but Aragorn reached out and grabbed his forearm.

"You are not a burden and you are not going anywhere without us. Just stop Legolas..." The man began to beg the elf. Legolas tried to snatch his arm back, but Aragorn tighten his grip.

"Unhand me Strider!" The elf demanded as he struggled against the human.

"Calm down..." The man calmly spoke through clenched teeth as he had to use all of his strength to restrain the elf. He shifted his grip and pulled the elf against him into a forced embrace to try and calm the shaking prince. One arm wrapped around the elf's waist, the other wrapped around his shoulders and he kept a firm hold on the elf as Legolas tried with failed attempts to get away.

"Let me go!" The elf cried. He grabbed the human's hands and tried to unwrap them from around his waist but became more upset as he could not move them. He was in a race against time as the tears threatened to spill.

"Legolas... Stop this! We will all leave in just a few moments then if you wish. But stop for a moment and calm down!"

Realizing that he was not going to get away without harming his friend, Legolas gave up. Aragorn pressed his tense friend close and held him for a moment as the trembling increased and the prince's body convulsed with a silent sob. Aragorn shook his head to himself as he was at a complete loss with what to do or what was going through his friends troubled mind. His own frustrations began to build as Aragorn realized how close they had come to another sexual assault against the elf and his heart twisted. Of course the elf wanted to leave; he didn't feel safe anywhere after this last episode.

Aragorn's culpability began to eat at him as he realized he failed to keep the prince safe after painstakingly convincing Legolas that he was safe not even a full twenty-four hours ago.

"Let us just gather our things and we will make haste to Gondor. Please Legolas, wait for us. We will not be long." Aragorn noted the sounds of shifting items as the dwarf rapidly threw items in their packs to gather up their belongings.

Legolas gave the man a slight nod as he drew in a shaky intake of breath to try and calm himself. Aragorn tentatively let go of the elf, making sure he would not bolt. Legolas made his way toward camp and he too aided in packing.

Within minutes, the camp was cleared and the trio made their way through the forest to continue their journey south.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Again, I really want to thank everyone for reading!**_

_**I have been a huge Fan Fiction fan and have read many stories where Aragorn and Legolas go on a grand adventure and one of them gets horribly hurt and it is up to the other one to save the day! I love those stories! I wanted to adopt this concept into this story so there is a small mention to Aragorn and Legolas' past... but I don't have any other stories other than this one so there is no "past" to go off of. So for the sake of the story, I am using this generalization... I guess I'm paying homage to all of the wonderful stories I have read! No plagiarism, and no mention of specific stories, but vast generalizations…**_

* * *

Chapter 7

* * *

The trio put their limits to the test and traveled without much rest until they reached the white city the next day. It was well into the afternoon when they entered the gates and their journey continued as they made their way through the palace. Level after level was reached as they practically climbed the mountainside the city was built into and after hiking up the last grand stairway to the mighty kingdom, the three were thoroughly tired and out of breath.

"I've done many travels in my time..." Gimli began but stopped as he gasped for breath. "But making our way through your home, Laddie, has got to be one of the longest treks I've ever had to make!"

The guards stationed by the entrance recognized their king and bowed low to him before they pulled at the large cast iron rings that provided a solid purchase on the grand doors and opened them for the small company to enter.

"The king has returned!" One of them gave a shout to the interior as though it were a command, letting those inside know that their duties needed to shift to focus on their lord.

Aragorn nodded in thanks to the guards as he passed and the three were instantly surrounded by a handful of staff who were tending to them in the expansive foyer.

Their weapons were handed over to servants who took the bundles of knives, axes and bows to the armory to be cleaned, sharpened and oiled. Their outerwear was removed and whisked away to be cleaned and to keep the filth from being tracked though the spotless kingdom.

Legolas however, remained hidden behind his cloak and kept the deep hood over drawn over his head to hide the ugly bruises that were still on his face. He refused to give his cloak up and held it tightly about his frame as he kept the bloodied and torn clothing he wore from sight. He was uneasy to undress in the slightest amongst a crowd and he stiffened as hands reached out to try and remove his cloak. At a slight command from the king, the servants backed away and let the elf have his way.

Aragorn was swamped as news of his return spread rather quickly through the halls and everyone began to make their way toward him. A messenger stood nearby with a silver platter held between his two hands. There was a mound of rolled and folded parchments stacked as neatly as could be on top of the silver plate and he was having difficulty keeping the large amount of paper on the tray.

"King Elessar! You have received a few messages during your absences."

Aragorn eyed the mound in his hands and snorted.

_**A few?** _He thought to himself.

Council members and advisers were slowly making their way to him trying to discuss recent meeting, events and decisions that awaited his attention. They bombarded him with questions as to when decisions would be made and how soon he could meet with them.

A low buzzing began in the palace's entry as all of the occupants began to talk at once, but everyone went quiet as a beautifully excited voice cut through the chatter.

"Estel?!" Arwen's voice filtered down a hallway as she made her way through the halls towards her husband.

Using the moment of silence to his advantage, he turned to his companions. "My friends, please make yourselves at home. You already know where your rooms are; you may retire to them if you wish. I apologize, but it seems duty will take me away for a while." He gave a slightly annoyed smile at the last statement, but both dwarf and elf could tell that the man meant well and knew he had responsibilities that he could not disregard. They both nodded and headed off to the King's private wing of the palace to find the rooms that were claimed to be theirs.

Aragorn turned back to the hallways as Arwen's bright face appeared and she made her way toward him. Forgetting all formalities, she embraced her husband and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Estel? I was so worried about you! You said you would not be gone longer than three days time, yet it has been nearly twice that long. What happened _Meleth-nin_ (Elvish for "My Love")?" She asked quietly.

The king returned her hug briefly but drew away from her as he realized all eyes were staring at the royal couple.

"I did not mean to worry you. I will tell you about it later." He gazed into her eyes and Arwen saw the man was begging her to understand and not press for more information at the moment. Something had happened... something horrible had happened. She could feel it and she stiffened. Aragorn took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze and she nodded in understanding.

Taking up his authoritative roll, the king gave a few orders. "Members of the council... I apologize for my absence. I know there is much that I missed. Let us adjourn on the morrow after the midday meal and we will discuss everything in detail." Each member bowed before they turned to leave.

He then turned to the messenger. "Please place those in my study. I'll have a look at them shortly." The boy bowed as much as he could as the parchments began to fall off of the plate and he moved stiffly as he gathered the messages and made his way to the king's study to the deposit the notes.

The head maid was walking toward the washing room with all of the collected outerwear and he stopped her.

"Anna?"

"Yes your Highness?" She stopped and bowed in respect to her king.

"Please see to Legolas' rooms as he with us now and I do believe his chambers need to be refreshed. He will need some new clothing as well; see if there is anything that my brothers may have left behind from their previous visits that will fit him for the time being. Also, let Lord Legolas and Lord Gimli know when the evening meal will be ready and make the kitchen staff aware that myself, Lord Gimli and Lord Legolas will be added to attendance for dinner."

The maid nodded her head. "Anything else Your Highness?"

The man thought for a moment then turned to his pack at his side. He pulled out a few tins and jars that contained healing herbs and oils and passed them to the maid.

"Yes; Please have a bath drawn for Lord Legolas and add all of this to it. Let him know I will visit him later to check on him." The maid took the items and bowed as she headed off to round up her staff and see to the king's wishes.

Soon Aragorn and Arwen were the only ones standing in the foyer.

"Estel... What happened?" She asked with a hint of worry in her voice. She saw the herbs that were passed to the maid and it deepened her worry. Though she was not a renowned healer like her father, brothers or husband, she still possessed much knowledge of the healing arts and knew exactly what was given to the maid and their various purposes.

With a sigh Aragorn turned to face his wife, and though he tried to conceal it, his gaze was laced with sorrow, rage, and guilt. He shook his head as dark thoughts crossed his mind.

"Ill news I fear. But... I do not wish to discuss it here." He drew her close and wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace. "I have missed you." He whispered and he felt Arwen tighten her arms around him in the same fashion.

At the gentle touch, Arwen could feel her husband's inner turmoil, though she could not decipher the meaning of it.

Presently, one of the nursing staff entered the corridor. "My Queen, your son has awaken from his nap and is quite fussy. He has been changed but I believe the little prince is hungry, My Lady."

Aragorn and Arwen smiled at the mention of their child and Aragorn pulled back out of the embrace. He cupped Arwen's face lightly and he fondly ran his thumb across one of her pale smooth cheeks.

"Go care for him. I'll be up shortly. I want to go over some of those messages to make sure there isn't any urgent... We will talk later." With that he gave her a soft kiss on her forehead.

Arwen could feel the tension in the loving contact and while she wanted nothing more than to demand the news that seemed to be upsetting her husband, she knew there was a time and a place to talk.

She turned to the nurse. "I will be right there."

* * *

Aragorn sat at his large wooden desk eyeing the stack of messages that were placed in his study. He didn't know where to start and the more he eyed the mound of parchments, the more he wanted to procrastinate in the diligent task of reading each one. With a weary sigh, he picked up a scroll and began to read the penned script.

"_Greetings King Elessar,_

_I am writing to you about the recent council you held over-_"

Aragorn quickly rolled up the parchment and placed it to one side of his desk. He did not have to read much further to know that this was a letter addressing one of the countless meetings and decisions he made and it was most likely voicing their displeasure with the outcome of a particular meeting. That message was not urgent, so he set it aside for a later time.

He reached for his next message and grabbed a thick folded envelope, noting the ornate fancy in which the packet was fashioned. The color was unusual, holding a lavender tint and the material that the envelope was constructed of was remarkably smooth. The flap was sealed tight with a golden wax seal and was monogrammed with the letter "C". The king picked at the corner of the flap until a small portion was ripped away and he slid his finger along the edge, tearing the envelope open. He pulled the contents out and opened the white parchment inside, pouring over the elegantly written note. It was an invitation from one of the neighboring kingdom's announcing that a royal daughter was getting married and he, along with his wife, were formally invited.

Aragorn smiled and placed the note on the far corner of his desk so he could take it to Arwen later.

He reached for another letter, then another and began to read and sort each note quickly and thoroughly. He had only a few messages left when a hesitant tapping at the door made him look up.

It took a moment for his tired mind to process what he saw, and once he did, a bright smile spread across his face as he stood to his feet. Standing in the threshold of the door were two elves, who were completely identical.

"Elladan?... Elrohir?"

"Estel!" The two exclaimed at the same time and they rushed forward to embrace their adopted little brother.

"What are you two doing here?!" The man fiercely hugged them back.

"Ah! Estel! It has been a long time! It is good to see you and know that you have been doing well!" Elladan said as he pushed himself back and held his little brother at arm's length, giving the man a once-over to judge his state of being.

Elrohir drew back as well and looked the man over too, noting the dirty travel clothes the man wore and the exhaustion on his face.

"My word little brother, you are a king and yet you still prefer to play in the dirt?" Elrohir smiled as the human gave him a playful swat at the remark.

"Nay! I was out and only just returned this afternoon!"

"So we heard!" Elladan responded as he smiled. "We arrived here the day you left, though we arrived a few hours after your departure. We had no idea that you had left until we saw Arwen that night. We would have caught up had we known sooner!"

"Arwen said there is trouble in your lands? Slave traders?" Elrohir asked his light voice had turned grim. The bright smile faded from the man's face.

"Yes; it has steadily been growing but it is now a major issue. My men have not been able to stop them. Gimli and I went to try and put a stop it." The man shook his head. "It seems there is more trouble than I thought in Gondor and slavery is not the only concern." The man stepped back and swept his hands to the two chairs sitting in front of his desk, motioning to his brothers to take a seat. He took up his place behind his desk and drummed his fingers lightly on the table before he pushed the dark thoughts from his mind. "So what are you doing here? How long will you be staying?" The man changed the subject and his excitement came back to his voice as he looked between the twins.

"Well..." Elladan started but looked to his twin. A smile graced his lips and the other twin mirrored the expression.

"As you know, Grandfather was residing with us in Rivendell but sailed to Valinor this past spring..." Elrohir began to fill in and looked to the human as Aragorn nodded his head. "It seems with his departure, more and more elves feel the need to leave as well. There are very few of us left in Imladris." He spoke quietly.

"We..." Elladan pick up where his brother left off. "We were hoping to spend some time here." The elder twin used the statement as a question, asking permission for an extended stay without actually asking.

The man smiled warmly to his siblings. "Of course! You know you do not need to ask!"

"Well... we were hoping to stay for a while..." Elrohir added. The statement Elladan provided did not exactly fill Aragorn in on their plans and he looked to his twin before he continued. "Estel..." Elrohir took in a deep breath. He hated more than anyone to beat around the bush so he laid it all out on the table. "We are hoping to reside here."

The man stared blankly at his brothers before a look of joyous surprise flooded his face. "You mean... permanently?" He asked, though he believed he already knew the answer to the question.

Elrohir snorted. "I do believe that is what 'reside' means little brother! Yes! We want to stay here with you!"

"Rivendell no longer holds the magic of the elves." Elladan piped up. "It is still dear to us and always will be, but the remaining elves have voiced their wishes and most of them will be sailing once spring returns. There are a few who wish to remain here and they are seeking out Ithilien, hoping to make a new life for themselves under Legolas' rule... Imladris will be empty. We have no wish to leave Middle Earth just yet, and we cannot fathom being the only two residing in the large abandoned city."

"And we would stay with Legolas as well, but..." Elrohir took in a deep breath "Well, things are changing... The world is changing. We want to be around as much as possible. Eldarion will be growing up, we are sure there will be other little ones on the way and we would stay with you and Arwen as long as we can, if you would have us."

Aragorn leaned across his desk as he looked at the twins. "I would love nothing more than to have you here! Whether it is small visit or to... *_Permanently_*-" he gave a wicked grin to Elrohir "-reside here, I am glad you are here nonetheless!"

The twins smiled as everyone sat back in their chairs. The silence grew between the three, but it was a pleasant silence that neither wanted to disturb. Finally one twin spoke up.

"It looks as though you have received a lot of mail!" Elladan commented as he eyed the desk littered with messages addressed to the king. Aragorn raised his eyebrows briefly as if confirming the obvious.

"Aye, as soon as I walked through the doors, *_this_* is what I was so pleasantly graced with." His voice was pure sarcasm as he too looked at the mess that was strewn about. "The next time I leave for any amount of time, I think I will appoint someone to receive the messages on my behalf to avoid another vast collection." He neatly stacked the remaining unread messages absently and began to straighten the desk.

"So what were these other issues you spoke of?" Elladan asked. He looked nervously to his twin for a brief moment before he looked back to the man sitting at the other end of the desk. Aragorn was not following the conversation and looked blankly to his oldest brother trying to follow the statement.

"What?" The man asked.

"You were telling us that there is more trouble in Gondor than you realized and slavery was not the only ill dealings that has been going on."

"Oh! Right... yes... well..." The man sat back in his chair, abandoning his cleaning efforts for the moment as he filled his brothers in "-when Gimli and I went north, we picked up a trail that looked rather suspicious. It lead us to a town just outside of the Dead Marshes, but fortunately, that was where we intended to go anyway... There, we found a rather large illegal market and anything you can imagine is sold there... It seems there is a new trade rising..." He let his voice trail off as his eyes sought the large windows noting the golden sunset. In truth, there were two trades rising and the man swallowed the lump in his throat.

"What trade?" One of the twins asked, but Aragorn was not looking at them and did not know which one spoke. He did not wish to discuss the details on finding Legolas at the moment, so he resolved himself to talk about the other trades he uncovered. Rather than answer the twin's question, he asked one of his own.

"Tell me, do either of you know what happened to the weapons of the enemy once the War of the Ring was over?"

The twins exchanged puzzled looks as they began to formulate numerous possibilities that would include this new information.

"You... ordered them to be discarded, did you not?" Elladan stated but a chill ran down his spine. This did not bode well.

Aragorn nodded his head absently. "And do you know where they were discarded? Or how?" He asked again. Neither twin spoke or moved, confirming that they did not know.

With a heavy sigh, Aragorn continued. "It appears that information leaked about the location where the weapons were buried. They are now flooding the markets and people are buying them for... who knows what purpose."

"What?!" both twins exclaimed at the same time.

"But, why in Arda would anyone want anything that belonged to that horrendous evil?" Elrohir looked completely baffled.

"The evil has not come back has it?... Sauron *_was_* destroyed, was he not?" Elladan asked. Elrohir didn't give Aragorn time to answer as he threw another question to the mix. "Who exactly is buy them?"

Aragorn just shook his head, though slightly harder this time. "Sauron was destroyed, but as for the other questions, I know not. I was not there long enough to research that topic as my main focus was finding the slave traders and putting a stop to them."

"And?... Did you succeed?" Elrohir asked.

"We..." The man started but he pursed his lips together as the emotions he was suppressing reared its ugly head. He began to speak again but his voice was rough as he bit back the tears. "We do not know if we stopped them all. But I believe that the group we were tracking have been fully dealt with... They were dressed as Gondorian soldiers... and used the authority of a warrior - sent from the king - to order people out of their homes where they would be abducted..." His voice trailed off as a tear slipped from his eyes and he wiped it away. At the moment he didn't have the heart to go further into detail about the horrific events that unfolded that night.

The twins exchanged worried glances and stood up to gather their grieving brother in their arms.

"Oh Estel..." Elrohir spoke "That was not your doing! Do not blame yourself for this!"

Aragorn realized that the twins thought his emotions came from the misplaced guilt of unknowingly harming his innocent people, which did burn at the king, but little did they know the full truth behind his anguish.

The man choked back a sob as he dried his eyes.

Elrohir continued. "You were able to gather a lot of good information that will aid your men to stop this... And you did find the ones you were after initially, and stopped them, correct?"

Aragorn nodded.

"Then you do not need to place any blame on yourself over this. You are doing everything you possibly can - and more! This will not be stopped over night, no matter how desperately you want it to, but you are taking the correct steps to prevent this from happening."

"And you cannot change the past." Elladan spoke quietly. "It is unfortunate what happened to those people, but there are some things in this world you cannot control, no matter how hard you keep it from happening."

Aragorn breathed in to clear his head. Once his brothers released him, he sat back in his chair and let the silence hang in the room before Elladan spoke up again.

"I think you need a break. Can all of this not wait?" He pointed to the desk.

Aragorn reclined in the chair, balancing the wooden frame on the back two legs as he folded his hands together behind his head. "Yes, I suppose so. I wanted to try and get caught up before my meetings tomorrow, but I fear I will not be able to."

"Can we help?" Elrohir offered, but before the man could respond, he reached out and grabbed the stack of "to-be-read-later" and moved back to his chair.

Aragorn smiled at his brother and straightened up. The chair rocked forward and the two legs slammed into the stone floor as he reached across the desk once again and grabbed the last two unread messages and flung one to Elladan who shifted awkwardly to catch the sudden object that was tossed at him. He snatched the paper just before would hit his face and the elf glared playfully at his human brother. He shrugged his nose towards the chair's legs as he unrolled the parchment.

"I know you are a king and give the orders around here, but didn't father teach you any respect? Mind the furniture!"

Aragorn grinned wickedly at the comment and he grabbed the last note. He unfolded the little square before quickly scanning the letter. His brows creased as he read the words.

_My Lord,_

_I hope this letter finds you and your family well. I have received the message from you addressed to Lord Legolas. I regret to inform you that he is currently abroad as he is making yet another long journey to the north lands before winter sets in. We do not know when he will be returning, nor do we know his exact whereabouts so there is no possibility of us forwarding the message on. We will keep the note here and deliver it upon his return. Please know that if you need any assistance, we would gladly help in his absence._

_Sincerely,_

_Valiändier_

"Well, that is strange..." Aragorn spoke to himself as he read over the letter again to be sure he was not missing any information. The twins looked up from their studies and regarded their brother.

"What is it? What do you have?" Elladan asked.

"It is a message from Valiändier in Ithilien."

"Valiändier? Why, isn't that Legolas' second in command?"

"Yes."

"What does it say?" Both twin's interest peaked and they looked to the man. They too considered Legolas very dear and were eager to hear news of the former Mirkwood Prince.

"Well, it is in response to my message that I had sent to Legolas asking for his help with the trip... They said he was not in Ithilien." Aragorn brought the paper closer to his face and quickly read the lines of script until he came to puzzling section and punctuated each word. "...it reads... 'he is currently abroad as he is making... Yet-another-long-journey... to the north lands before winter sets in'." The man cocked his head as he thought about the words.

"Oh, Legolas headed back north did he?" Elrohir commented offhandedly as he went back to the parchment he was previously reading.

"He travels frequently?... and you know of it?" Aragorn was a little shocked that he did not know any of this.

"Oh yes he stops by Rivendell on his way and pays us a visit before he continues northwards. This would make... what would you say El?" He turned to his twin "... The third trip this year? Maybe the fourth?"

"It will be the fourth." Elladan stated as he continued with his readings.

Aragorn's gaze only became more puzzled at the news. "Where does he go?... And why so frequently?"

Both twins shrugged before Elrohir answered him. "We know he heads north... probably towards Mirkwood. We have asked him why he goes back so often but he tells us that he is simply visiting and searching for others that would wish to join the efforts to rebuild Ithilien."

"No doubt he misses home." Elladan added. "Perhaps he is visiting his old home?" The eldest twin glanced over the top of the parchment he held to look at his brother.

"I do not know why he would since the palace is empty. When Thranduil left for the undying lands a few years ago, he left Mirkwood to the wilds and has been uninhabited since."

"Uninhabited?... I knew Thranduil left shortly after the evil in Dol Guldur was defeated, but I thought there were others still in Mirkwood." Elladan stated. "So no one is in Mirkwood then?"

"Not that I know of; after the War, Legolas went home about a month after Arwen and I married. Thranduil was prepared to hand over the thrown to Legolas, but... Legolas declined. Instead he asked for his father's blessing to reside in Ithilien... Legolas said he was not exactly happy with the decision... so I can only imagine that Thranduil was furious..."

"As usual..." Elrohir mumbled.

Aragorn shot his brother a distasteful look at the comment but continued. "-but it sounded like Thranduil gave in and Legolas moved to Ithilien about a year later with the elves of Mirkwood who were not ready to follow Thranduil to the Undying Lands. After Thranduil and Celeborn battled against the remaining orcs in Southern Mirkwood, Thranduil did not stay long and left. I was told Mirkwood was vacated. The elves either went with Thranduil, or went to Ithilien."

The twins furrowed their eyebrows at the same time with the news.

"I know not what to tell you. We knew Thranduil was no longer there, but thought Mirkwood was still under elven care." Elrohir looked up from the letter and placed it on the desk as he too started a pile of read messages. "Legolas said he was off visiting... But...Who is he visiting, then?"

Aragorn raised his eyebrows in surprise and shook his head indicating he had no idea.

"Well, if he left now, there is no way he will be making it back before the season's first snow." Elrohir said "Wherever he is headed, and whoever he is keeping company with, he will most likely have to winter there until spring returns..."

"Nay..." Aragorn's voice sounded distant as he absorbed the information. The twins both looked sharply to their human brother fixing him with a questioning glance. "He is here..."

"He is here?" Elrohir asked. "Now?" Both twin's faces brightened at the news. "Hey El! We can show him our trick!"

"We need to practice more."

"No *_you_* need to practice more! I on the other hand have my part down."

Elladan shook his head as he rolled his eyes. He ignored his twin and turned to Aragorn. "So when did he arrive? Do not tell me he has been here this whole time and we did not know about it?!"

"No. He arrived with us." The king's voice was a little flat as his troubles deepened.

"He went with you?"

Aragorn shook his head. "No we found him..."

Elrohir squinted as he regarded his human brother. "There is something you are not telling us..."

"What happened?" Elladan added.

Elrohir smacked his palm to his forehead with a chuckle. "Do not tell me it was one of *_those_* adventures again... the ones where you two get into a slew of trouble and one of you is dragged back half alive..."

Elladan's eyes went wide as the human did not answer. "Is Legolas in the healing wing on death's door *_again_*?" He too laughed slightly.

Elrohir snorted. "Seriously! It is a wonder to me that the two of you, part of the Nine Walkers, renowned heroes of the War, fought in all of those battles and came out unscathed... yet you go on one a little side journey and... _Ai Elbereth..._"

"So what happened *_this_* time?"

"Or *_who's fault_* was it this time?"

"And how is Master Gimli? Did he get caught up in it too?"

"Oh that poor dwarf!... Did you really drag him into this?"

Both twins were smirking as they blurted out the usual lines that they were used to hearing from the two friends. They sobered quickly as Aragorn sighed and passed his hand over his face to rub the anxious look away from his eyes.

"Estel?" One asked quietly. It was evident that someone was hurt, and the twin's healers instincts tingled with alarm.

With a heavy sigh, Aragorn addressed his brothers. "I believe I have questions of my own that I need to address with Legolas. But he is here and I hope for him to find healing after a long journey." Was all he said. Remarkably, his voice was calm and his emotions were not heard in his response.

"What happened?" The remark did not sit well with the twins.

Aragorn shook his head yet again as he looked to a window and noted the sun had set and the dinner hour was drawing near. "I have no wish to discuss it now. But I will tell you everything later."

"Is he alright?"

Aragorn nodded his head. "For now... But like I said, I will tell you everything later. Come... let us get ready for dinner. I need to get washed up. Will you two be joining us?"

"Of course! We will meet you in the dining hall." Elladan said.

All three rose from their chairs and headed for the doorway. Before they could pass through, Elrohir turned back to the room and blocked the exit.

"Estel... are you sure he is alright?" He did not like the way the man avoided the subject and he feared what had happened to their friend.

The man gripped his brother's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze as he moved past the elf and stepped into the hallway. Words seemed to be lost with the man and whispered to his brothers.

"I hope so." The twins watched as Aragorn strode down the hallway, making his way to his private chambers.

"Something is not right." Elrohir said to his twin.

"I know, but we will hear Estel out. Come let us get ready for dinner."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

* * *

***Meanwhile***

Legolas made his way to the guest quarters of Aragorn's wing of the palace and found the rooms that were deemed his. The large wooden doors creaked slightly as he cracked them open wide enough to slip through the threshold and closed the door behind him. He pressed his back against the ornate door and leaned heavily upon it as he took in the quiet surroundings.

The drapes were pulled back from the large windows allowing the light from the setting sun to bathe the room in a bright warm glow. The white stone walls seemed to be painted with the golden light and any slight obstruction cast thick dramatic shadow across the arid space. The furniture was draped in brown dust covers and the air inside was cold and stale indicating that this room truly was his as no one entered them since his last visit very many months ago.

It was quiet inside... almost too quiet and the elf shifted uneasily as the depression that had been a constant companion suddenly deepened. He felt smothered within a great nothingness and long to be else where but there was nothing else for him in this vast palace. These were his rooms and his only place of claimed privacy.

He did not want to be here. The prince pushed himself from the entrance of his room and headed for the framed glass doors that lead to a balcony. The elf opened them wide, letting the cold, fresh air in while he made his way further outside and over to the railing that bordered the suspended porch.

He felt strange. The past few days in their travels, the elf wanted nothing more than to be left alone so he could let his guard down and not have to suffer anyone to his emotional disgrace. And yet, now that he found that his wishes were granted, there was an incredible emptiness in the pit of his stomach and he suddenly felt scared that he was alone. He didn't understand it.

The late afternoon breeze picked up and the crisp air brushed past his face, combing through his unkempt hair as he breathed in and closed his eyes with sorrow. To Legolas, Fall was a sad time of year; the trees he was so connected to were saying their goodbyes as the prosperous seasons came to a halt and the trees went into hibernation. He desperately needed the trees at a time like this and he found that his loneliness grew without their company. It would be months before the deciduous fauna would wake up and he was consumed by the feeling of loss at the thought. An ache began to build in his chest and he massaged it lightly with his fingers to try and work the feeling away with little success.

Another gust of wind drifted off of the mountain tops to the west and the cool air carried the fragrant and hearty aroma of dried leaves. The wind tugged at the ruby, gold and orange foliage of the few mighty oaks and maples that graced the garden the balcony faced, and a single leaf was plucked from the top most branches. The elf watched as the fluttering greenery swished and swirled through the air before it came to rest on the banister near his hand. Legolas studied it for a while noting the green streaks of life that were desperately trying to cling to the leaf as the color slowly drained away only to be replaced by a garnet hue. The wind made another gentle pass and the leaf was pushed off railing.

A sudden jolt of longing surged through Legolas as he watched the frond drift to the garden below and was welcomed home by the thousands of leaves that had already succumbed to the bitterness of fall. There, the leaf lay in a spot where the agitating wind could no longer stir it and a serene beauty overcame the little leaf's final resting place.

He found that he envied the leaf... Envied how easily the foliage was able to find peacefulness among its own. He wanted to follow it... But, no... he did not want to travel through the air, rather, he wanted to float over water - a great body of it - and join his people on pristine shores that were hundreds, thousands, even millions of miles away from here. He wanted to get away. He wanted to leave his troubles behind... he wanted to be whole again.

The wind caressed his face again and he shuddered at the frosty air.

Oh to have that wind blow into great white sails! To have it push him along and guide him to some foreign land that, for some strange reason, already felt like home! To let the wind whip up the salted water and let the tangy spray of the sea splash on his face. Let the wind blow in currents allowing the gulls to drift in the wind as the fish would swim in the sea.

Ah, and the gulls! How he yearned to hear even one cry from this unseen bird that sounded more and more like a mythical creature. For years he listened to Lady Galadriel's warning of the gull's cry, but now he had a gnawing hunger to hear it. Though he could not comprehend what this forbidden call could sound like, he tried to imagine it. Would it be a low groan like a great heron? Or a piercing cry of an eagle? Perhaps it resembled the shrilled cries of a falcon?... But it could also sound musical like the songbirds of spring whistling happily in tree tops. He wanted to know that sound... the sound that held the promise that he would be home soon.

Aragorn's voice suddenly drifted through his head.

**_You made a promise to me! You said that no matter how many of your people left for the Undying Lands, that you never would…_**

He drew in another deep breath and exhaled. He could not leave. He was trapped... trapped by his own words, of all things.

The elf was transfixed on the garden below and he stared at the joyous little leaf; it was fully content to let the green life drain from its flesh. The leaf was dying, but it was happy to go, it was happy to know that it served its purpose and was now rewarded with the gift of eternal sleep…

Again, Legolas wanted to follow the leaf.

There was a soft rasping of knuckles on the interior wooden door and the elf was pulled from his inner turmoil.

"My Lord Legolas?" A sweetly shy voice made its way through the wood as a maid called out to see if she was permitted to enter.

The elf remained quite. He was not so sure he wanted to face anyone at the moment but his lack of response only prompted more knocking. With another sigh, Legolas pushed himself from the railing and made his way back inside to open the door.

"Yes?" He asked flatly as he pulled the door open slightly for the servant, but did not greet her. He turned back to the balcony as the maid and her team entered his rooms and wasted no time in setting up the once unoccupied area for their guest.

The dust covers on the furniture were neatly rolled up and whisked away. The pillows were fluffed and propped at the head of the bed while another maid brought in logs to stock the fire place. Fresh thick towels were placed in the bathroom on a grand marble sink and the sound of running water echoed through the rooms as they drew a hot bath per instructions from their king. A few handfuls of healing herbs were dumped into the hot water and the refreshing scent of Athelas and other soothing floral notes cloaked the room.

Lastly, a quick pass of a dust rag over the flat surfaces caught any unwanted dust and the baseboards were swept in a hurry to clean up any trace of filth. The maids filed out of the rooms once everything was in order and the head maid stepped to the balcony.

"My Lord, I sincerely apologize for the intrusion. Your rooms have not been used in some time and we were not expecting you. Everything has been prepared for you; There are clean clothes on your bed. A bath has been drawn. King Elessar wishes you to bathe. He said that he will be up later to check on you. Dinner will be ready in a few hours and your presence is requested." She stood in the doorway watching the unmoving elf as he leaned on the railing, looking out over the trees and sky. When the elf did not reply, she took a hesitant step toward him. "My Lord?"

Legolas looked over his shoulder and smiled slightly, careful of the still-healing split lip, though the light expression never reached his eyes.

"Thank you." He said softly to acknowledge her statements and kindly dismiss her.

The maid saw the bruised face that turned to her and she took a step back. Her hand flew to cover her mouth as she gave a small gasp. She had seen the fair elf numerous times throughout the palace whenever he came to visit. Horror clutched her as she saw the once beautiful, flawless face now marred with bruises.

"My Lord?... What... happened to you?" She whispered. The elf turned back to the garden with a deep sigh and he shifted his weight from one foot to another. His dejection seemed to deepen at the maid's comment and she cringed as she realized her error. She dropped her hand quickly and looked away. "My lord... I-I apologize. It was not my place. My name is Anna, if you need anything at all, please let me know." With that, she headed for the doors and let herself out.

He listened to the footsteps as they dissipated down the hall. An unexpected gush of sadness washed over him and he looked to the sky again as tears threatened to fall. With effort, he forced them back as he concentrated on the sky above and studied how the smooth flat clouds streaked the sky and captured the golden color of the setting sun. He painstakingly watched the clouds shift in shape as they were pushed across the sky and the gold tones turned to darker orange... then to pink... then became edged in purple... and finally they lost all color as the hour dragged on and the sun finally dipped behind the ridge of the White Mountains. The stars began to dot the sky and they glittered happily as their brightness increased and watched over him.

Legolas dropped his gaze. The merry twinkle did nothing to calm him, in fact they seem to torment him. The tantalizing happiness they displayed crushed the elf's already wounded spirit and he sighed once more. The bright dots were always watching over the lands and had always been a silent witness to history. They saw everything that passed since the dawn of time.

The shame came flooding back and his breathing hitched around the lump forming in his throat. Did they possess the knowledge of what had happened to him?

Legolas could take their sights no more and the elf numbly walked back into his rooms, seeking the eery darkness that now saturated the interior. He sank down into one of the overstuffed chairs that was positioned in front of the dead fireplace and he let his head fall to his hands. The soundless rooms did nothing to ease the hollow pit in his core and the elf began to flex his jaw muscles to try and force the sorrow down.

He sat for a while trying to force himself to cope with his new surroundings and boiling troubles, but the longer he sat there, the worse it became. The silence was unbearable. He took in a deep breath to try and push the uneasiness aside just as he had been doing all evening, but this time the scent of the herbs in the bathwater reached his nostrils. Carefully, the elf got up and slowly made his way into the bathing chamber.

It was a spacious room and grandly decorated with simple elegance. An oil lamp mounted on the wall flickered as the small flame shed some light in the windowless room. Polished white marble tiles made the floor and a large slab of white rock with black veins created a sink surrounded by ample counter tops. His booted steps echoed slightly in the room furnished by rock amenities and he reached out to the oil lamp to turn the wick up, casting a brighter, warmer glow in the steamy space. An oak framed mirror hung on the wall over the sink and a thick sheet of foggy moisture prevented any reflection to come to life. A luxuriously wide and deep tub was filled with water and scattered through the crystal clear liquid were bits of crushed leaves that the maids added to give the bath a healing ability.

The weary prince undressed and threw the soiled clothes and bandages into a heap at the far corner of the room. He stepped into the warm water, but took great care getting in as the ache in his backside flared when he stepped over the edge of the tub. After a few awkward movements, the prince eased himself down into the warm water. He grimaced as the water stung his injuries, but the pain subsided and he relaxed slowly as he reclined against the slanted tub walls and stretched out comfortably in the spacious basin.

The warmth of the water consumed him and he breathed a slight sigh of relief as the healing herbs attacked the ache in his body. He shifted a bit and lowered himself so that the water came up around his neck. He closed his eyes and after a few moments, he finally drifted off into the peacefulness his hurting soul so desperately craved.

It was short lived however as someone knocked on the wooden doors to his chambers. The elf was pulled from his tranquility at the sound and scowled.

"By the Valar..." the elf cursed quietly to himself. He ignored the quiet tapping, hoping whoever it was would simply leave. That was not the case. After a few more attempts to allow the elf to open the doors, the wood creaked softly as the doors were pushed open and then closed. All went quiet before the same knocking was played on the bathroom doors.

"Legolas?" Someone called out to him. The elf instantly recognized the voice. It was Aragorn.

"I am indecent Strider..." The elf curtly responded, but the man opened the door and poked his head through anyway. "Strider!" The elf called out in angered alarm. He was beyond irritated and it was very clear in his voice.

Legolas sat up instantly and hunched over to cover himself as the man entered the bathroom. Aragorn kept his back to the elf after hearing his displeasure and grabbed one of the large, thick towels that was neatly folded on the sink. He shook it out and made his way to the tub, draping it over the prince's lap and allowing it to slip into the water.

The elf called out in surprise and grabbed the material as the man made a mess. Legolas pulled the corner of the linen out of the water and attempted to push the towel back into Aragorn's hands while simultaneously doing his best to remain covered in his bowed form.

"What are you doing?! Strider, stop!"

"Calm down Legolas." The man gently assured. "Just take this. I want to check your wounds and make sure they are cleaned."

"Can it not wait?!" The elf asked with a clipped tone.

The man had no intentions of fighting with the elf, but he felt the need to check on the prince's healing progress. "It will be easier and faster if we did this now. There is medicine in the water already. I just wanted to see if you are making any healing progress."

The elf shifted uncomfortably as he pulled his knees to his chest, trying to further hide his nude form. "I do not think this to be the proper time, Aragorn." The elf's body flushed with embarrassment as the man did an initial evaluation to the bruises and cuts on his back.

"That is why I am giving you this." The man stated calmly. He forced the towel into the water and tucked the edges on either side of the prince under the water's surface.

The elf huffed in disbelief while he shook his head slightly. "Aragorn, I am fine." He insisted. The prince fidgeted in discomfort while Aragorn rolled his sleeves up and grabbed a washing cloth from the sink before sitting on his knees beside the tub.

The man looked at the elf with an all too knowing expression of disbelief. "Legolas..." Aragorn started as an interjection to cut off the elf's terseness, but did not know how to continue. They were both weary from their travels and knew this was not the time to have the deep heart to heart conversation that needed to happen. That could wait until they were both well rested and Legolas felt comfortable enough to confide in the ranger rather than keep up with his resistance. "No you are not. You are far from it." Aragorn stated the obvious as he dipped the square of material into the water.

The elf glared at the man sitting beside him and snorted in annoyance as he looked away.

"Legolas, you are not ok and I think you know it too. You keep telling us that you are, but you are not. Your injuries have barely begun to heal. Do not think I have not noticed. By now you should be well on the mend, but..." He let his statement trail off as he looked at the bruised and battered elf before him.

Legolas chewed slightly on his lower lip, keeping his eyes away from the man. He could feel Aragorn looking at him and he did not like it.

"All I need is rest." The bitterness left the elf's voice and he provided the statement as a fact.

"_Ai Elbereth_..." The king sighed. "Sometimes I seriously think you were born to the wrong race _mellon-nin_." Aragorn smiled limply to the elf as Legolas gave his friend a puzzled look. "Dwarves are the ones known for their stubbornness and I think you can match any dwarf's obstinacy... or even surpass it." He said with a hint of mirth.

The elf was not amused.

"I know you are tired and weary Legolas, but you also need care." He pulled the washcloth out of the water and wrung it out slightly. "Now, would you please let me help you?"

The elf did not respond as he dropped his head to his hand and slowly rubbed his forehead. It was clear the elf did not want the man to touch him, though he knew it was for his own good.

A sudden thought came to Aragorn and he looked to the elf sadly. "Legolas?... Legolas... look at me."

The elf turned his head to the man, never picking it up from his hands and restricted his eyesight from the man's face. Instead, he found the Evenstar necklace peeking through the clasps of Aragorn's shirt and the elf concentrated on the elegant jewel that was dangling from the man's neck. The crystal-clear gems caught the lamp's glow and shimmered softly. He could not bring himself to look the man in the eyes and hoped he turned enough to suffice the man.

Aragorn continued. "You..." The man halted his voice as a lump formed in his throat. His emotions began to rise as he whispered to the elf, knowing the prince could hear him with full clarity. "You do not... fear me, do you?" The elf had been brutalized by his own race and a sickening feeling came over him as he realized his friend might not ever be able to trust him again for what others had done, not to mention what he himself had to do that night in the cave in order to help.

The elf's eyes snapped to the human's as anguish clouded his blue orbs. He could not formulate words, but he shook his head to the negative, much to the King's relief.

"So why are you so resistant towards my help?" The man's voice was soft and compassionate, asking for an honest answer.

Legolas looked off again. It took awhile for the prince to respond, but his answer was a vague explanation, buried in subtle defense. "Forgive me... I know I have not been myself lately-" the elf quietly admitted, but the man cut him off.

"I do not expect you to be yourself, Legolas. The atrocities you have been forced through-"

"Stop!" The prince demanded. "I do not want to discuss it." He finished in a hurry.

The two sat quietly waiting each other out. Neither could speak as they did not know how to move away from the topic. Finally, the man spoke.

"Do you still trust me?"

Legolas nodded slightly.

"May I?" Aragorn asked as he shifted the washcloth indicating he wanted to tend to the prince. The elf sighed heavily before giving a slight nod in his head. He gave up his resistance since it was getting him nowhere and reluctantly allowed his friend to do what was needed.

Aragorn felt a small crack of relief when the elf dropped his defense. He set himself quickly into motion before the elf could rethink his options and backtrack in the matter. The king reached out to gather the prince's long blond hair and pushed it carefully over one shoulder to have easy access to his friend's slender back.

The man began his gentle ministrations with a healer's diligence. He poured every ounce of his honed ability into his care as he washed the elf's wounds once more. Aragorn inspected every abrasion thoroughly, trying to find any abnormality that would cause his friend's healing to lag.

Once again, the elf was tense under the soothing touch and he began to tremble slightly though he was trying his best to hide it. He would not look at the man and kept his eyes on anything inanimate.

Aragorn noted the tension and began to talk idly to the prince to distract him. "It has been a long few months since you have last been here Legolas... why I do believe it was well over a year ago already! Much has happened since we last saw each other. I apologize I have not been keeping close contact with you. The kingdom has been growing stronger and it seems to be my *_only_* life at the present..."

Legolas nodded his head a little at the comment. He knew too well the dealings with a kingdom and how it could consume one's life.

"Welcome to the life of a king." The elf tried to sound light, but his voice was a bit sluggish and flat. Aragorn snorted at the remark and moved on.

"So I hear that Ithilien is coming along quite nicely." The man stated and kept his tongue to allow Legolas to speak if he wished. He was a little disappointed with the elf for not telling him about his frequent visits north and if he could breach the subject, he would try to get some answers from his friend.

"Yes…. Everyone is working hard. The forests are benefiting from it and there is already a notable difference. But it seems _Hirve's_ return is not far off and we will have to halt our work until the fauna comes out of the deep sleep." The elf's voice was low and steady as he reflected inwardly. ( Hirve = elvish for Winter)

"What are your plans for the winter?" Aragorn asked as he sopped up a decent amount of water in the washcloth and squeezed the cleansing water over the elf's shoulders.

"Those who wish it, typically go to Osgiliath and lend a hand where needed, though, from what I can gather in recent reports, Lord Faramir has made a great deal of progress with the reconstruction this year. Perhaps the need for Elven help will not be required."

"I think Faramir would gladly accept any help, and would be eager to host your people. Especially with the recent news, I'm quite sure he will be rather ambitious in the rebuilding within the upcoming months." The man's voice trailed off fondly as he gently pressed the elf back against the tub to begin cleaning the elf's chest.

"Why is that?" Legolas shifted to get more comfortable and straightened the towel about his lap as he kicked his legs out in front of him. The prince was slowly relaxing, much to Aragorn's relief.

"Have you not heard?" The man looked to the elf and received a glimpse of confusion in Legolas' face. "Why, the Lord and Lady are expecting their first child. If everyone's calculations are correct, the child will be here by the end of spring."

A small, half-smile tugged at the corner of the elf's mouth. "No, I have not heard. That is wonderful news..." But even as he remarked on the announcement, his voice held no real joy and it was not lost on the king. Aragorn's plans for conversation shifted and he decided not to push the prince for information at the moment and kept the chatter light.

"Yes. They are all very excited, as are we! Spring will be here before we know it! ... Now let's see what other news is there... Oh! Elladan and Elrohir!" The man dipped the washcloth in the water again before continuing with the news and his ministrations. "They are going to reside here!"

"What?" This was major news.

"Yes! They arrived here a few days ago. I'm sure there is a lot they want to discuss with you in regards to a transition, but it seems most of the elves from Rivendell are going to sail. There are few that do not wish to go yet and they would like very much to make a new life in Ithilien, if you have room for them."

The prince nodded. "Of course... all are welcome." And yet his voice was distant as he spoke.

**_Some are sailing?_** He thought. While he would be more than willing to accommodate anyone, right now he couldn't fathom giving care and attention to others while he seemed to be on the brink of crumbling himself. The idea seemed to weigh heavily on his already troubled heart and he let out a sigh at the thought.

"Legolas?" The man noted the distant look in the elf's eyes and Legolas was pulled from his thoughts and looked to his friend.

"Sorry... I'm just..." The familiar bit of tears rose quickly in Legolas' eyes. The elf looked away before the man could get a glimpse of them as they began to well to the brims. "I'm tired..."

The man knew it was a massive understatement and there was most likely more to the words than Legolas lead on, but he simply nodded. The last thing he wanted for his friend at this moment was an emotional collision with his overtaxed state. No doubt Legolas needed to talk to someone and relieve some of his emotional burden, but there was a much better time for that later.

"I know. Come, your wounds are cleaned. I'll put salve on them to help with the ache. Dinner is nearly ready and I would that you joined us for the meal." Aragorn hoped his requests provided a distraction to the elf.

The prince shook his head. "I really am not hungry Strider-"

"Legolas... I let you have your way during our travels, but you need to eat. It does not have to be much, but you need to take some nourishment so you can give your body strength to heal."

Legolas rested his forehead against the fingertips of hand. His frustrations were starting to build again, but he knew Aragorn was right. He had absolutely no desire to be present, but he had no energy left to really fight the man on the subject.

"I do not wish to sit there and be a bruised spectacle for everyone present while they ask or ponder what happened."

"No Legolas, this is not a formal dinner. There will not be any council members or guests to entertain this evening. This is a private dinner - family only; Gimli, Arwen, my brothers and myself will be present and I can assure you that questions will not be asked, alright?... You do not have to stay long. After you eat, you may retire for the evening."

That was not what the elf wanted to hear. Couldn't Aragorn just let him be?

Before the elf could protest further, Aragorn stood to his feet. He wrung the washcloth more-or-less dry and flipped it over the edge of the tub to let the rest of the water evaporate.

"Finish cleaning up. I'll wait for you and dress your wounds before I leave." Aragorn said as he stalked out of the bathing chamber and left Legolas to finish with his bath in privacy.

Legolas sat for a few long minutes thinking over his argument about dinner requests. He wanted nothing to do with food right now and the very thought of it unsettled his stomach.

He became further annoyed with the irony of all that took place; Just a few moments ago Aragorn easily pointed out the incredible stubbornness of Legolas' character and yet Aragorn was just as adamant with his own requests and would not take no for an answer.

The elf huffed to himself. All he wanted now was to be left alone again despite the incredible emptiness that accompanied seclusion. He came to find the dark isolation of his quarters was better than being forced to follow demands and the thought of having to face others right now flooded him with anxiety. It did not matter who was going to be present; questions would be asked and he had to have an explanation for his bruised appearance. He could almost hear the way others would gasp at the sight of him, just as the maid did earlier and could easily predict the wave of unrelenting questions that would follow.

…. Unless Aragorn had already told them what happened.

He sure hoped not.

He set his mind to work in an attempt to supply vague answers to everyone's inquiries about his wounds. The absolute last thing he wanted was to have knowledge of his shame shared with anyone. He would have to make sure Aragorn did not speak if it either.

Legolas submerged his head, thoroughly wetting his locks and applied soap to wash the grime and gore that had collected in the normally flawless hair. With a last dunk under the water to rinse the soap away, he sat up, wiped the water from his eyes, and began to stand.

He was having difficulty getting to his feet as the strain in his injuries began to speak up and he groaned and panted with each try to rise from the tub.

Aragorn tapped on the door again after hearing the pained effort even through the barrier between the two and he entered the bathing chamber once more to aid his friend. Without a word, the man gripped the elf's elbow and pulled the prince to a standing position as the elf clutched the heavy, sodden towel about his waist. He stood there as large amounts of water drained from the towel and it seemed the entire bath was soaked up into the plush fabric. Legolas shifted it awkwardly, seeking to cover himself more thoroughly, but Aragorn reached for a fresh towel and passed it to the elf before turning his back so the prince could switch out linens.

Once the elf was wrapped in a dry towel, Aragorn made his way back to his friend and helped support the injured prince while he stepped over the edge of the tub. He noted the way the elf's features tightened with pain as he exited the basin.

The man watched with sad eyes as the elf stiffly moved about. He had hoped Legolas' innermost injuries did not need care for the prince's sake but the look of pain was easy to read despite the way the elf tried to school his features.

"Legolas…" the man started but was unsure what to say. His gut was telling him Legolas would put up a fight on the matter. "You are not going to like this,-" The man stated cautiously, letting the elf know that he was already prepared for whatever Legolas might counter with and to let him know that he understood any and all displeasure the elf may have. "- but... I need to see to you."

The elf looked to the man briefly. He didn't know what that statement meant, but it was all too apparent after meeting the man's gaze and the elf took a step back.

"I-I am fine Aragorn."

"Legolas, like the rest of your body, I'm sure you have not healed down there and I am a little alarmed that you are still in a great deal of pain. We need to check that there are no issues with the wounds."

The elf flushed and shook his head quickly, his apprehension began to build. "Strider..."

"Legolas, I am a male, as are you. You have nothing that I have not seen before." Aragorn stated to try and put the elf at ease, but it backfired.

The elf looked away as he shook his head for Aragorn's comment only upset him further. "So you have seen the horrible actions that others can inflict so intimately?" The elf's voice was no more than a bitter whisper at the remark.

"What?... no Legolas, I meant that... I am not implying..." The man stammered as he tried to quell the elf's uneasiness. "Listen, you need medical attention. I can give it to you right now, or if you prefer someone other than myself to care for you, then I will arrange for that. Elladan or Elrohir can come and assist you. They are healers... They are elves..." The man offered the best parallel he could, but Legolas shook his head vehemently. "Ok, then allow me."

Legolas did not respond at all, but the man tested the boundaries as he began to guide the elf to sink and bid him to bend over the marble surface. He took control of the towel wrapped around the elf's waist and opened it just enough to expose the elf's backside. He knelt on the floor and very gently eased his hands to the elf's buttocks and the prince stiffened and began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Relax Legolas..." The man spoke calmly. He carefully eased the cheeks apart and glanced at the sores that were left behind from the elf's abuse. The tears he had noted the night in the cave were inflamed and ugly as they had been chafing due to their long journey. It was hard to tell whether the wounds had reopened or if they ever closed at all, but a few of the deeper slices still wept small traces of blood.

"This does not look good _mellon-nin_..." He said with a gentle sigh. "They need to be tended to."

The elf shook his head with a huff.

"To help you... only to help you... may I?"

Legolas swallowed hard. "It does not matter what my wishes are, does it... you are going to have your way weather I consent to it or not-" The elf's statement was cut short when a sob caught in his throat. Unbidden tears began to fall and the elf bowed his head to hide them. Legolas was not stupid, he knew he needed the care but no matter how gentle it might be, or the caring person behind the healing ministrations, it felt like sheer torture.

Aragorn froze. This was the worst situation to be placed in and he had no idea how to go about it. Helping his friend would only hurt him... and yet if Legolas was not helped, that would do more damage. He tried to think of anything to put the prince at ease but the situation was so horrendously twisted that the man was at a loss for words.

"_Mellon-nin_... I-"

"Just do it and get it over with." The prince let the words tumble out of his mouth to try and hide the roughness of his voice caused by his emotions. He gripped the edge of the sink until his knuckles turned white as he tried to force his body to calm down.

Aragorn moved with uncertainty, but walked out of the chamber briefly and returned with a small jar of salve and set it at the prince's feet. The man then grabbed the square washing cloth and dipped it back in the tub. Once he made his way back to the elf and took up his previous position, he gingerly wiped the area, effectively cleaning the sensitive wounds. Aragorn frowned as he noted his own hands were shaking and he took a deep breath to try and calm himself before continuing. When the abrasions were cleaned, he spread the soothing salve over the intimate injuries and worked multiple applications onto the wounds for good measure. After several times, the prince stiffened and shifted away from the man.

"Enough!" He gasped. Physically and emotionally, the prince could take no more.

Aragorn stopped instantly and replaced the towel. He made his way over to the tub and washed his hands in the water before he pulled the plug and let the large wash basin drain.

"I need for you to take it easy these next few days until the wounds can close properly." He said as he straightened up.

The elf did not move however and remained leaning on the sink. A slight jerk in his shoulders told the man that Legolas was crying and he gathered the elf to him as he calmed his hurting friend.

"I'm so sorry _mellon-nin_." The man spoke

Despite the soothing touch, the elf remained taught as a bow. "I just want this to be over..."

"I know, I know... my heart aches for you. I hate seeing you like this Legolas... But just know, I'm here if you need anything - anything at all."

Legolas nodded against his friend as he took a deep breath to compose himself. Aragorn drew back and left the room again only to appear with a set of clothes. "Here, I hope these will fit you. Put the leggings on and then I'll dress the rest of your wounds."

Legolas took the clothes and noted the fine garments that were neatly folded.

"What are these?" Certainly these were not human clothing.

"They are from my brothers. It will have to do for now until we can have some other clothes made for you. I'll try to have my staff make them in accordance to the wood-elf fashion, but I think these will serve their purpose for the time being."

Legolas unfolded the silken, red and gold tunic that looked to be closer to the appearance of a robe than anything. He had never worn anything so elaborate from the Noldor-elf customs, but dared not say anything as he was only relieved to have proper clothing to wear rather than soiled, baggy sleeping cloths.

Aragorn stepped out of the room to allow Legolas to semi dress and once the elf was covered, he entered again to rub the salve over the rest of the prince's injuries. He helped Legolas put the shirt on and they both exited the bathing chamber as Legolas fastened each clasp. True enough, the garment fit perfectly and the wood-elf straightened the fabric as the last clasp was set in place.

Aragorn lit a small candle on a tabletop to give the dark room some light before he returned to the elf.

"Alright. I'm going to get ready for dinner. I'll see you down there?" He asked only to try and get the elf to confirm his attendance.

The elf took in a deep breath and looked away. Oh how he did not want to attend…

"Legolas..." The man warned as he raised his eyebrows indicating that any statement other than 'yes' would not be accepted.

Legolas answered with a hurried huff. "Yes; I will be there."

Aragorn nodded as he reached out and placed a comforting hand on the prince's shoulder.

"Thank you." He said before he turned and walked out of the room, leaving the prince in the quiet dark chambers.

Legolas stood in the center of the rooms for a few moments before he gingerly sat in one of plush chairs near the fireless hearth. He needed to take a few moments and let the stress drain away before he could face others... This was going to be a long night.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

* * *

The dining hall was prepared for the eccentric family and one by one, they joined the grand table to take their meal. Aragorn sat at the end of the long rectangular table, but other than that small formality, all other dining arrangements were casual. Arwen sat by her husband rather than sitting at the other end of the table, and between the two of them on the floor near the corner of the table, sat a bassinet that held their sleeping son. The couple held hands lightly under the table and proudly looked after their baby as a sense of awe and beauty overcame them as it often did when they gazed at their precious child.

The twins came to the dining hall next, and took up places beside their sister. Their usual playful bicker filled the room as they teased each other and laughed. Though they were twins, the two did not dress alike this evening, but the clothes they wore held some similarities. Simple leggings with tailored robes made their garments, but each brother dressed in a different color pallet. One had his hair up in typical elf fashion as the crown of his head was pulled back to a simple braid that trailed down his back, while the other brother left his hair down.

"Hush you two! You will wake Eldarion!" Arwen chided. At the mention of their nephew, the twins rose from their seats and swarmed the bassinet. Elrohir gently picked the sleeping child up and made his way back to the table where he held the little prince tucked snugly in the crook of his arm so his brother could join him in marveling over the delicate face.

Gimli trudged to the hall next and proved to be much cleaner than the last time Aragorn had seen him; He had bathed and put on fresh clothing. His beard was combed through, but the braids in his red facial hair were gone as the dwarf sought to relax.

The servants began bringing out plates of food and placed them in front of each person. Baskets of bread and pads of butter were set at the center of the table giving each person easy access while bowls of salad and roasted vegetables were added to the delicious mix. Sparking goblets filled with ruby red wine caught the bright light of the candle lit chandelier and added a sparkle to the casual table. Tall tapered candles added more light to the merry atmosphere and the small flames at the end of each candle danced energetically upon their perch.

As food was brought out and the guests were tended to, one chair remained empty and Aragorn kept glancing at the door, expecting Legolas to show up at any moment. As the time dragged on however, the prince did not make an appearance and the king frowned.

"Will Legolas not be joining us?" Arwen quietly asked her husband as she too thought the former Mirkwood prince would be in attendance.

Aragorn gave her a light smile as he tried to suppress his annoyed disappointment.

"I guess not." He half expected Legolas to pull a stunt like this as the elf was very clear in his wishes not to come to dinner. Aragorn had half a mind to go get the elf and force him to join, but let the matter drop. If Legolas truly did not want to be amongst company, forcing him would not make matters better for anyone, let alone the prince.

Aragorn turned to a passing servant. "Please prepare a plate and keep it in the kitchen for later. I shall be in after the meal is over to collect it." The servant bowed and headed off to the kitchen. The main reason Aragorn wanted Legolas to join them was so he could watch the elf and make sure he ate. Simply leaving a plate of food with the prince would not give the elf any encouragement to eat. Aragorn was hoping the happy atmosphere and being surrounded by loved ones would entice an appetite. But if Legolas would not sit with them, he would sit with Legolas later.

The five ate as they enjoyed each other's company; they told stories of lore, tales of adventurous times from their past and shared laughter with jokes. The hour was growing late and the candles were beginning to burn low as a waxy mess began to pile on the table. Once their hunger was snuffed, a calming lull filled the great dining hall.

It was not long before Eldarion awoke and became fussy, bringing the dinner hour to a halt.

"Well Gentlemen, I do believe that is my cue to depart." Arwen said as she smiled and walked to her brothers who were taking turns soothing and bouncing the little bundle of cranky-joy. She gathered the infant up in her arms and hushed him while she planted delicate kisses over the tiny forehead. She took him to his father so he could kiss the little one before Arwen carried him off to be tended to.

Servants were beginning to clear the table and came around to collect the empty dishes. At nearly the same moment, Aragorn and Gimli retrieved their pipes to have an after dinner smoke. The four occupants chatted as the man and dwarf packed their pipes. Finally, as the two brought flaming matches to the bowls and began to puff away, the twins excused themselves as they wrinkled their nose at the smell.

"Would ya' like to join us lads?" The dwarf asked as the twins stood up from their chairs.

Elladan bowed his head slightly at the offer. "Thank you for the invitation Master Dwarf, but we will decline. Smoking is not an Elven habit-"

"Nor is it one we would like to pick up." Elrohir added as he wafted his hand about his face as if to clear it of the noxious smell.

"You two enjoy. We will see you later." Elladan made for the doors with Elrohir closely behind.

After the twins departed, the man and dwarf were left alone to their pipes.

"It sure is good ta' be back an' have a proper meal!" The dwarf stated as he began to absently pick at the candle wax that dripped onto the table.

Aragorn raised his eyebrows in agreement and blew a mouthful of smoke into the air.

"Yes indeed."

"Wasn't Legolas goin' to join us?" The dwarf asked.

The man looked at the dwarf and pursed his lips. "Yes. I tried to get him to come, and he said he would, but-" The man pointed to the place setting where Legolas would have sat letting the visual of the empty chair speak for itself.

"Is he ok?"

"I do not know. His wounds are not healing, but then again, he has not had anything to keep his strength up. He willingly pushed himself too hard these past few days to get here, and has not had any rest or food. I'm hoping to see some improvement over the next few days."

"Can I do anythin'?"

"We just have to keep an eye on him for now. I'll try to talk with him once he is rested. He is a little foul at the moment and talking to him when his temper can flare easily is not something I want to do... to either him, or myself."

The dwarf snorted a little. "No doubt he is his father's son, eehh? The Elf-King was known for his ill temper. I'm sure Legolas follows in his footsteps."

The man thought for a moment before he responded. "Legolas is just tired. I do not blame him. I believe anyone would be given the circumstances... He is going to need a lot of rest over the next few days. He will be a little difficult to deal with, but just remember to be patient with him... He is starting to lash out when pushed, and he is withdrawing, but we just have to try and get him through this. I do not know how, but whatever he needs, we need to make sure we can help him."

"Say no more. I understand."

"We need to find a way to help him cope... but I'm not sure what that is yet."

"Ya' have any ideas?" The dwarf asked.

The man sighed. "None... it needs to be a way to let others help him, and yet give him the space and the time to sort it out on his own... At any rate, just, keep an open mind and if you think of anything, let me know."

The dwarf nodded as he puffed on his pipe. "Perhaps he needs to go home?... Not Ithilien, but Mirkwood. Do ya' think that would help?"

The man thought for a moment. "I do not know... there is no one left in Mirkwood any longer so I do not know if that would help..." The man lost himself in thought for a few moments but broke the concentration as he asked the dwarf a question. "Tell me Gimli, have you seen Legolas within the past year? Has he traveled to your realm in any time?"

The dwarf thought for a moment. "Aye... He came up this past spring... He came for a visit an' stayed very briefly, but that was it."

"When he left, where did he go?"

"Ehh, he said he was goin' to travel north to Rivendell an' see your brothers."

The man nodded at the comment. "Did he say if he had any other plans?"

"Not that I know of. To tell ya' the truth, I didn't think to ask much... why?"

"Well, it seems Legolas has been venturing to the north quite frequently. My brothers knew of this but thought very little of it until just recently. I knew nothing of it until a few hours ago. I did not know if you had any insight that perhaps we did not."

The dwarf squinted as he puffed on his pipe. "No, I know nothin' more than that...How many trips has he taken?"

"According to my brothers, he has traveled at least four times this year and heads towards Mirkwood... though for what reason I cannot guess as I was under the impression that all the elves have left, so I know not why he keeps going back."

"Ya' think he is homesick?"

The man shrugged.

"Why don't ya' just ask?"

"I shall, but later. I do not know if bringing it up *_now_* would be a good time or not."

The dwarf nodded and took a few puffs from his pipe, but the smoke had stopped as he had burned though the plants that were placed in the bowl.

The dwarf stood to retire for the night. "Well Laddie, I'll do what I can to try and find out as well, but I'll take your advice and wait a while... It's getting late an' I'm ready ta' get a proper night's rest. If ya' need anything, or if the elf needs anything, ya' know where I am."

"Thank you Gimli. I am going to see him now actually. Hopefully I can get him to eat something..." The man took a butter knife that was left on the table and scrapped his pipe out to clean it before he placed it in his pocket and watched as the dwarf shuffled out of the room.

Aragorn pushed his chair out and made his way to the kitchen. There he found the plate of food that he ordered to be prepared. It consisted primarily of meat, bread and wine. While it was fine substance and cooked deliciously, he was sure the elf would turn it down without even a second thought... perhaps except for the wine. The man grabbed the goblet and poured it out. That was the last thing the elf needed and he rinsed the cup out before filling it with cool clear water.

Aragorn began to riffle through the pantry to find other items to add to the menu. He made his way to the cold underground cellars and found a few barrels of fresh fruits and grabbed a ruby red apple, and a green pear that were both ripe to perfection. On his way out, he found the leftover salad that was served at dinner and grabbed the bowl as he made his way back up to the kitchen and placed the food on the tray.

Before all was said and done, Aragorn made a mug of tea and set the steamy cup on the tray. He stepped back a moment and studied the food, and was now satisfied with what he could offer his friend. He hoped there was something in the mix the elf would show interest in and he picked the tray up and headed off to the prince's rooms.

He made his way through his private wing to his guest quarters and located Legolas' rooms with ease. He shifted the tray to one hand and balanced it on his fingertips as he tapped lightly on the door. He stood there for a moment waiting for the doors to be opened, but they never did. He gave another light tap on the wood and pressed his ear to the door to see if he could hear any movement within. It was silent.

The man stepped back and noted that no light came from under to door so he pushed the doors open carefully and poked his head through. Save for the oil lamp that was left burning in the bathing chamber to the left, the living quarters in front of him and the and bedroom to the right were pitch black preventing the man from forming sight.

"Legolas?" He whispered but received no response. He pushed through the door and placed the tray of food on a nearby accent table in the small foyer as he reached for the candle that was resting on top. He made his way to the bathroom and dipped the long candle into the oil lamp's flame to transfer the light to the wax stick and cupped his hands about the small flame as he walked back to the darkened rooms. After he set the candle in a candle holder, the man shuddered when he finally noted how cold it was inside the rooms. The door to balcony was left wide open and a soft breeze stirred the drapes that framed the exit. The fireplace was not lit, but was stacked and ready.

There, slouching in one of the comfortable chairs by the cold, dark hearth, he found Legolas, asleep. His arms were crossed about his chest and he huddled against himself to keep warm. His eyes were closed as he rested and his breathing was slow and steady.

Aragorn smiled sadly at the scene before him and he almost felt guilty for being upset with the elf only hours earlier. It was evident that the prince had every intention of making it to dinner as he still wore the fine clothing that belonged to one of the twins and his boots were on and fastened. His hair was still damp, but it was combed through and was free of any of the usual braids that were normally worked into the prince's appearance.

The man tiptoed across the room to keep his thick boot-heels from connecting with the stone floor. He closed the balcony doors before he made his way over to the bed. Draped across the foot of the mattress was a plush throw that the man grabbed and shook it out as he made his way over to the sleeping elf.

With gentle and slow movements, he draped the blanket across his friend's form and lightly tucked the edges in around his neck. Aragorn's fingers brushed across the elf's cheek accidentally and the man withdrew his hand quickly as his alarm grew.

The elf was cold.

Elves were never cold. He reached his palm out to Legolas' forehead and sure enough, the elf's skin was cool to the touch. Aragorn withdrew his hand softly and he regarded his friend with new concern. He knew the elf had been sensitive to the temperatures over the past few days and judging on the prince's state of being, the man somewhat concluded that the elf was pushed well beyond his limits.

He turned to the fire place and located a bucket of fine materials to aid in starting a fire. He tucked a few tufts of grass under the logs and grabbed the flint used to light the fire. He struck the two rocks together several times and the clicking of the rock-on-rock echoed softly in the dark room. Quick flashes of light exploded and dissipated at every strike as sparks were generated but never caught. Finally a smoldering char landed on the kindling and began to smoke. The man bent to the hearth and blew on the ember, encouraging it to grow.

The chipping sound roused the sleeping elf and he blinked the blurry world into focus groggily. He shivered and noted something was draped over him and he tried to make out what it was. The sparks of light illuminated a stout form near the fireplace and as the fire was built to a decent size flame, the elf watched trying to figure out who it was.

"Gimli?" The elf's voice cracked as it was the first sound he made since falling asleep. The prince watched as the form stood to his feet and quickly became much taller than the dwarf's height.

"_Mae Govannen_ (Elvish for "Well met") Legolas, but tis only me, not Gimli."

Legolas did not have to see the face to know who it was and he brought his fist to his eyes to rub them as a yawn escaped.

Aragorn crouched in front of the prince and smiled softly at the bleary-eyed elf.

"Is it time?" Legolas mumbled as he sat up.

Aragorn gave a soft chuckle. "Nay, you have slept through dinner _mellon-nin_."

The elf's brows creased in confusion "What?... what time is it?" He looked to the windows and saw the moon was already well past the horizon indicating that the hour was later than he thought. The elf sighed as he realized he missed dinner... After all the fuss, he still did not make it.

"I'm sorry. I meant to come. I seem to have lost track of time." The elf said.

"No Legolas I am sorry; I know you are tired and it was inconsiderate of me to demand you be there." He looked to the elf as he shivered again. "How do you feel?"

The prince wrapped his arms tighter about his chest as a shiver built and dissipated.

"Cold... Tired and cold."

The man nodded. "I can tell. Why don't you get changed into the night clothes and get in bed?"

The elf nodded and stood from the chair as Aragorn found some sleeping clothes and passed them to the elf. As Legolas undressed, the man walked into the bathroom and began to tidy up the space. He found the soiled clothing Legolas wore during their trip here and gathered them up and discarded them in a waste hamper since they were beyond repairable. The soaked towel was left in a heap in the tub and he lay it flat against the tub walls to allow more water to drain from it. Finally, he turned the oil lamp off and left the room.

Legolas was changed and had wrapped the throw around his shoulders as he stood by a window next to the fireplace. The heat from the fire felt good and he took a step closer as he looked out of the window and into the dark sky.

Aragorn grabbed his elbow softly and guided him to the bed. He pulled covers back and allowed the prince to climb on to the soft mattress and pulled the blankets up to his chest as the elf settled.

"I did bring some food up for you if you are hungry..." but the elf shook his head. "Well if you wake up and are able to, please eat something. I'll let you get some rest tonight, but tomorrow..." The soft warning tone crept back into his voice "-We will make sure you eat something."

The elf began to yawn again as he lay in the cozy bed.

"Get some rest. We are all just down the hall if you need us." Once he was sure the elf was settled, he turned to walk out of the room. Before he opened the doors, he turned back to the elf to say something, but the prince's eyes were closed as he instantly fell back asleep.

The man blew out the candle by the door and let himself out.

* * *

Aragorn opened the doors to his chambers and walked inside, quietly closing them behind him to make as little noise as possible. Arwen could be heard in the nursery nearby singing a soft Elvish lullaby as she rocked their child to sleep. He stepped to the threshold and leaned against the doorjamb and he watched his wife and son with a bright happy smile. Arwen saw him out of the corner of her eye and smiled back as she continued to sing.

The man crossed the room and held his hands out silently asking to take the child and Arwen shifted gently to pass the baby who was swaddled in blankets to her husband. Aragorn rested the child against his chest as he slowly swayed back and forth, picking up the tune and singing to his son. It was a beautiful song, one that was very familiar to both Arwen and Aragorn for it was a song that Elrond had sung to them as children.

When the melody ended, Aragorn remained in place as he continued to hold his child.

"It is getting late _meleth-nin_." Arwen spoke softly as she came over and wrapped her arms around her husband's waist, joining the tight circle of peaceful love that surrounded the small family.

Aragorn shifted and placed an arm around her shoulders bringing her closer. "I know but I have missed you both so much. I just want a little more time with him and then I shall place him in bed." Aragorn brushed his lips along the infants crown in a tender kiss as he resumed rocking where he stood.

Aragorn remained standing and swaying for a time before he finally placed his son in the crib and tucked the soft blankets around him to keep the chill away. Lastly, he walked to the fireplace that was in the room and placed another log on it to help keep the little one comfortable.

Both parents watched over their son as he slept but soon Aragorn ushered his wife out of the room and cracked the door.

"It has been a long day for you I am sure." Arwen said as she made her way into the bedroom and grabbed a thick robe from the closet and put it on as she made herself comfortable for the night.

Aragorn sat in a chair in the corner of the room and took his boots off, replacing them with soft leather shoes that were closely fashioned into slippers.

Arwen approached her husband and bent over him, placing her hands on his knees and leaned in for a long kiss.

"I have missed you terribly also." She said with a hint of a smile.

Aragorn slid his hand to her head and held it tenderly as he reciprocated the kiss, adding his own loving contact to the moment.

They parted in the embrace after a few moments but rested their foreheads together. Arwen looked into her husband's gaze and saw a great worry in the depths of his gray eyes.

"Estel..." She wanted to ask him what happened but was now half afraid to. "I know you are troubled... please talk to me."

Aragorn pulled back while he let out a troubling sigh. "Of course. But..." He stopped for a moment. "-not here. Let us go elsewhere to discuss this. Perhaps the Great Hall? " He asked. These rooms were a private sanctuary for he and his family and he did not want to discuss the troubling news here and have the heavy air linger in the peaceful setting. He chose a comfortable place that would still allow he and Arwen to have the privacy they needed.

Arwen nodded in agreement. "Let me get a nurse just in case Eldarion wakes. I'll meet you there." She kissed Aragorn's forehead before she turned and left in search for one of the nursing staff to take watch.

Aragorn stood and left the chambers, making his way down the long stone halls that lead to a place where he re-created a favorite place from Rivendell, the Hall of Fire. The Elven hall sat in the middle of the Last Homely House where it was used to entertain family, friends and guests; Songs were sung, stories were told, good times were shared and troubled hearts healed.

Part of the magic of the legendary hall was with the fire itself; it burned continuously for centuries, never going out until Lord Elrond had left for Valinor. Even still, when Lord Celeborn decided not to follow his wife, Lady Galadriel, to Valinor, he sought to stay in Rivendell with his grandsons, Elladan and Elrohir. The three did their best to take over the task of keeping a fire going and sought comfort in trying to maintain a steady piece of tradition until there truly was no one left in the Elven city to keep the fireplace lit.

Aragorn arrived at the double doors to his "Hall of Fire" and pushed them open with surprisingly little effort. He took in the sight of his grand space and smiled slightly. This was nowhere near the same as the Elven halls he knew and loved, but there was a certain comfort found in the space that he had hoped would formulate with the creation of the hall.

He had been told that before he took the throne, the grand, lofty room was only ever used in the rare occurrence of feasts for an even rarer occurrence, a formal dance party. Aragorn could almost imagine the space decorated with dining tables that stretched on and on to accommodate mass amounts of people, or the way a crowd gathered to partake in stepping in time to glorious music as waltzes and foxtrots kept everyone moving.

He had half expected the fire to be out this night but was pleasantly surprised to find the fire burning away. The servants were always busy with other tasks and keeping a constant fire in a hall that was scarcely used seem to be low on everyone's priority list, especially with the king's recent return that sent the staff into a new frenzy. But sure enough, the fire was going this night and he sank into the plush couch to await his wife.

Arwen walked into the room without a sound and found the man sitting on the couch facing away from her. She walked to him and slowly wrapped her arms around his neck from behind. He started slightly and turned to see who crept up on him, but he knew who it was before he even turned around.

He reached up and laid a hand on Arwen's arms as she gave him a gentle hug. When she moved away, she kissed the top of his head and walked around the furniture to sit beside him on the couch. The man had a warm smile on his face as he reached out and grabbed his wife's hands.

"The fire feels nice tonight does it not?" He asked.

Arwen nodded and leaned into her husband. "It does. But it feels better now that you are home."

The man just stared at the fire without a comment.

"Estel... I know something happened and I would that you talked to me about it... this trip was not a normal one and I am starting to worry about what happened. It is not like you to hold back from me and the way you spoke of Legolas earlier... What happened?"

Aragorn took a deep breath. "I know, I know I am sorry. There is just so much that went on and we have had so little time together since I have been home. I do not mean to make you worry, but, we needed to sit down and talk about this in private."

"Is everything alright?"

"No..." The man sighed before he dove into the details he needed to tell his wife. "No it is not. We uncovered an arms dealing trade of orc weapons that were supposed to be confiscated but are being uncovered. We also found men who were taking people captive and how they were doing it. The small band we tracked have been dealt with, though I'm sure there are others out there so the work is far from done."

The man took another deep breath and was reluctant to talk for a while. The silence grew as Aragorn sorted his thoughts out. He knew Arwen needed to know what had happened to Legolas. She was good friends with the Mirkwood prince as well and she too considered Legolas to be part of their extended family.

"And... while we were there... We found Legolas." The man's voice was a mere whisper as he dropped his head to one of his hands. He could still feel the utter shock deep within his core when he first laid eyes on the bloody, beaten form of his friend. To think of how much the elf had suffered through, and for how long... tears were forming in his eyes but he made no attempt to conceal them.

Arwen was watching her husband closely and saw the sudden brightness in the man's eyes as they welled with moisture. She scooted closer to the man and grabbed his free hand, offering him love and support in his time of need. She softly encouraged her husband to continue. Whatever had happened must have been harsh to make her strong husband react this way and she was at a loss on how to help until she understood all of the details.

"What happened?" She asked again softly.

"He..." A sob broke from the king's lips and he drew in a deep breath to try and calm himself. "He... was taken..." Tears began to spill down his cheeks at the statement; It told so much, and yet, left so much out.

Arwen could feel her husband's sorrow mount and her heart clenched as the tale was slowly revealed to her.

"Oh Estel... but you got him back did you not? He is here and safe..."

Aragorn went very still and calm as he looked to his wife. How beautiful she was, how innocent and pure she seemed to him. The man only shook his head as he swallowed the ice forming in his throat.

Arwen pulled back slightly as she looked into the depths of her husband's eyes and saw the gut wrenching horror that touched his soul.

"Estel?"

Aragorn took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment, seeking strength to carry on. His voice was smooth as he spoke, and the words felt like they were not coming from his mouth.

"Legolas was taken captive by the men we tracked. How, I do not know yet, but they took him to the town where Gimli and I set our destination to be..." He shivered as a dark thought came to mind.

**_What if we did not go to that town? What if they took Legolas elsewhere? What if we never found him?_**

The man thought he would be sick and he looked away from his wife.

Arwen's worry deepened. She softly gripped his chin and redirected his gaze so she could make herself heard.

"Please, _meleth-nin_, tell me he is ok."

"They..." He pulled in a ragged breath before continuing. There was no easy way to put it, no way to soften the hideous words that would come out of his mouth and even as he spoke them, he winced as he heard his wife gasp. "Legolas was being sold... His body was being sold... They raped him."

Arwen's jaw dropped lightly at the news in breathless horror. For a few moments, she could not comprehend the words but just stared, wide eyed, at her husband. That was far from what she expected to hear and she briefly thought she had misunderstood the words Aragorn spoke, but as she watched the grief stricken man in front of her, the words sank in.

"What?" She whispered. Tears were beginning to well in her own eyes and they too spilled over. "What?" Her question was now a sobbed choke as her hands flew to cover mouth and sob after sob wracked her frame silently. Arwen grieved for her friend; as an elf, she knew what this would do to Legolas and the news was almost more than she could bare. "No..." She curled over as the grief cut through her and left her breathless.

Aragorn reached out to gather his grieving wife and wrapped his arms around her tightly. He felt her sobs as he held her, and his own cries broke free. The two sat on the couch holding each other, trying to offer comfort to one another as the full impact of the situation crushed down on them.

Time passed slowly as they ached for their friend. When their weeping abated, Arwen pulled back and dried her face with her sleeve. "Oh Estel…" she said with a sniffle. "What are we going to do? What is going to happen?"

Aragorn shook his head as he eased his hold on his wife. She reached out and ran her hand over his cheeks, catching his tears.

Laughter from down the hall caught their ears as Elladan and Elrohir made their way through the kingdom. They were far from tired as the palace quieted down for the night and they were up and about, seeking a place where they could carry on without disturbing the rest of the quiet house. Their conversation became louder as they walked toward the hall and they erupted in another fit of laughter.

"That would be perfect!"

"Can you see it now? The look on their faces?"

"I can only imagine it would be something to the effect of pure shock!"

"So who do we do this to?"

"How about Gimli? I believe he is long overdue for a prank, do you not agree?"

"Nay... the dwarf has a short temper. While it would be funny at first, you know he would never let go of it - Ever."

"Aye... true, true..."

"We could always do it to-" The mischievous plotting was cut off as the twins found Aragorn and Arwen sitting a great distance off on the couch. Both were looking over their shoulder as the twins stepped into the hall and closed the gap between them.

"What are you two doing up?" Elladan said as he stepped closer. Though they were still a few paces away, their elven sights noted the red rimmed eyes of his siblings and their smiles drained from their face.

"What happened?" Elrohir asked as he looked to his twin to see if he had any idea what was going on or how to proceed. Their pace quicked until they had rounded the couch and stood before the massive fireplace.

"We were just talking." Aragorn sat up and motioned toward two chairs opposite of where he and Arwen sat. "Have a seat. I would talk with you please."

The twins cautiously took up seats in the chairs on either side of the fireplace that faced the couch.

"Arwen and I were just talking about the trip I returned from..." He looked to his wife and who was on the verge of tears again, knowing that the story would have to be retold. He reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Elladan nodded, bidding his human brother to continue. He looked to his distressed sister and his apprehension mounted.

"As you know from what I have already told you, Gimli and I left here over week ago to track slave traders that have been on the loose. Once we found them... We found Legolas too. Apparently, he was captured by them... and... his body was being sold." His last bit was a whisper as his emotions began to come back. Arwen had begun to cry softly again and the twins sat in their chairs dumbfounded.

Elrohir was the first to speak and he hesitantly shifted his sights between his siblings, unsure if there was information he was missing and jumping to a rather distasteful conclusion. "What do you mean?... He... He wasn't... no..." His eyes went wide and his breath hitched as Aragorn nodded his head.

"Who ever paid the price... was granted access to him intimately, against Legolas' will."

"What?!" Elladan nearly shouted as his first reaction to the news ignited rage deep inside. Elrohir looked to his brother as his own reaction claimed him. One brother was enraged, the other was weeping.

No one spoke for a while as they made sense of the news in their own way.

"There has to be some sort of mistake..." Elrohir whispered as he tried to force himself to believe that it did not happen.

Again, no one spoke to confirm his concern and the grief inside the younger twin tightened.

"How is he?" Elladan asked quietly. His sudden anger was subsiding to be replaced with shock. He kept his eyes nailed to the floor while trying to keep the roughness from his voice.

Aragorn passed a hand over his face. "Honestly, I do not know. There are moments where he looks and acts fine, then there are times when he is on the verge of crumbling... He was beaten while being kept captive. His wounds are over three days old now, yet they look to have been inflicted only hours ago. I checked on him right before dinner and assessed his healing progress, and it seems as though he is simply not healing... you know as well as I how fast elves heal... by now, the bruises, even as deep as they are, should be fading, but have not. He has lash cuts all over and they still bleed; I am not sure if the wounds just did not seal or if they reopened, but regardless, neither should be the case in normal circumstances... He is also cold... nearly all the time and that has me worried as well. I know he has been pushed past his limits, but... this is not normal."

"He is not fading, is he?" Elladan asked.

"I do not know... I do not know what that is. I have never seen that happen to an elf before so I do not know the signs of it."

"We do." Elladan said as he looked between his twin brother and younger sister. "_Nana_ started to fade after Elrohir and I rescued her from the orcs that captured her."

He went silent for a while lost in thought as he remembered his mother, what had happened to her and the long road to recovery that could not be completed. Celebrian was never sexually assaulted, but was brutalized nonetheless by vile orcs and her heart simply could not recover. Ultimately, her choice to sail is what prevented her from completely fading away, but the end result was the same as Arwen, Elladan, and Elrohir lost their mother regardless. Elladan knew this was worse than his mother's abuse and he shook his head from the memory.

Aragorn was watching the eldest twin when his face turned up and locked on the eyes of his human brother. He could not hide it, Aragorn deserved to know and his heart clenched as he spoke.

"_Nana_ was very much the same way as you have described Legolas to be..."

The man stared wide eyed at his brother after the remark.

"Has his light begun to fade?" Elrohir asked as he wiped his face of the tears that drenched his cheeks.

"To be honest, I have not even noticed it." The man admitted and he kicked himself inwardly for not taking note of it to begin with.

"We need to make sure that his will to continue is not broken. That is the most important thing. Once that is gone, I do not think he will last long." Elladan spoke calmly trying to come up with some sort of plan to help get their friend through this.

Aragorn dropped his head as memories of the night in cave came back to him. "It already has."

The three looked sharply to the human.

"Oh no..." Elladan covered his face with his hands as this news sent a new ripple of shock through the elves.

"Legolas was ready to give up the night we rescued him, but I think I pulled him back from the brink. He has not shown any other desire to leave that I know of, so I hope it was just due to the abuse being so recent that he felt that way. I have been trying to talk to him and get him to open up, but he is very closed right now... and you know Legolas, he does *_not_* like to show his emotions."

Aragorn looked to his eldest brother as the elf's anger was beginning to boil again and it was showing in the reddened face that was taught with determination. "Please tell me every man who even touched Legolas was discarded… for if they were not, I will be leaving right now to do it myself."

Aragorn actually contemplated the matter but let the idea drop. Jumping into that was foolish. He held his hands up to halt his brother. "Gimli and I took care of those who had captured Legolas. There is no way to tell who took advantage of him, but his captors have paid a heavy price for their crimes as well as a few others. I know how you feel right now, but tracking every person down is impossible. Besides, I think we need to focus on Legolas, not running about and finding people who might not even be in Gondor."

Elladan sat back in his chair as the anger was beginning to turn to grief.

Arwen cleared her throat slightly before she jumped in and spoke. "We need to surround him with support and love. He needs to know he is not alone..."

"Where is he now?" Elrohir asked.

"He is in his rooms, asleep. He has not rested since we found him, but he has finally allowed himself some rest. He needs to take it easy these next few days. I want him to stay in bed as much as possible."

"Unless both of his legs are broken, or you tie him to the bed, you know that is not going to happen." Elladan shook his head. The prince was quite stubborn and keeping him bedridden was nearly impossible. They knew from past experience.

"I know, but if we catch him about, just do not encourage him."

"Does Gimli know?" Elladan asked. He was now gathering facts to try and come up with a plan of action and who could be included.

"Yes, he does. He was there and knows everything I do... no one else knows about this however, and I am sure Legolas would be upset if he found out that I told you about this so, let's keep this between us for now."

Both twins looked distraught over this comment.

"What?... He does not need to hide this from us! We want to help him!" Elrohir was a little baffled and his impulse to help his friend seemed to come to a grinding halt.

"I know, but right now, he is... He is very withdrawn and I do not want to cause him to close everyone off completely. He needs you, all three of you." He looked to each of the elves sitting in the room. "As a man and a dwarf, Gimli and I can only do so much, but once we can get him emotionally stable, I am hoping you can help him ways a mortal cannot."

"What do you mean?" Arwen was at a loss.

"I do not know. I am mortal, he is elf kind. I do not know if there is something you can do for him that I cannot..."

"You are perfectly capable of helping him Estel." Elladan interjected.

"Just... for now, we need to take this one day at a time. If I cannot help him-"

"You needn't say anymore Estel; We will do everything we can for him." Elladan said as he looked to his siblings and saw both of them nod in agreement.

The fire burned away and filled the hall with a comfortable glow as the warmth offered a small piece of comfort to the occupants of the room.

* * *

The doors to Legolas' quarters were pushed open softly and made no sound as Elladan and Elrohir let themselves in. The hour was late and everyone had retired to their rooms for the night but the twins were reluctant to do the same after hearing of what happened. The brothers slipped into Legolas' rooms for a few moments to check on the elf. They could not find it in them to simply leave the prince alone despite hearing he was sleeping and they wanted to make sure, with their own eyes, the prince was safe and sound for the moment.

Both twins made no noise, as was normal for elves, and they approached the bed that held the sleeping prince. They had been told the elf had been brutalized, but it did not prepare them for what they saw and both stiffened as they took in the sight of the pale, bruised face that lay on a pillow.

"_Ai Elbereth_..." One of them said in a breathless whisper as he came forward to stand next to the bed.

The other twin took up the other side and they watched as the blond elf slept soundly, face relaxed, breathing steady and eyes closed.

Elrohir reached out and grabbed one of the prince's hands that was resting on top of the covers to his side. He wanted to offer comfort in the contact, but he was really seeking confirmation that the elf was truly still with them and he lightly held the relaxed hand.

"Do not wake him El..." The other twin warned in a hushed whisper.

The younger twin ignored his brother but then looked up sharply in surprise.

"Estel is right...He is cold." Elrohir ran his thumb across the knuckles in a soothing gesture as he took his other hand and wrapped it around the prince's cold fingers, trying to let his body heat seep into the cold digits.

Elladan cautiously reached out and brushed the backs of his fingers across the elf's cheek to feel for himself. Sure enough, the elf's skin was unnaturally cool.

Elrohir moved the prince's hand and placed it under the covers before he grabbed the bedding and pulled it up to the prince's chest to keep him warm.

Both brothers backed up and watched as the elf shifted in his sleep and let out a slight sigh as he settled back into deep slumber.

"I hope he will be alright." One of them spoke.

"As do I, El... As do I.."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

* * *

_Legolas rode through a magnificent forest. Everything was familiar to him, yet he had never been to these woods before. Tall oaks and pines covered much of the sky and the earthy notes of the forest's scent were heavy and sweet. This forest looked to be old - old enough to match the great Fangorn Forest, yet it had a surreal beauty that he had only seen present in the Goldenwood, Lothlorien. But everything about the forest reminded him of the Mirkwood forests, his home, and he took another draw of the clean air._

_Everything seemed picturesque; the birds were busy chirping away as they flew through the woods, darting through the shafts of warm sunlight that broke through the thick canopy. Squirrels were busy fighting over the dropped pine cones and worked with frantic movements to stash away their findings for a harsher time. Butterflies of various colors fluttered from flower to flower stirring the slight blades of grass and fragile flower petals._

_The prince opened his mouth to sing of the beauty about him, but he could not form words. He opted to hum the tune instead, but his throat refused to let him make a sound. With a smile, the elf gave up and allowed the forest around him sing it's natural song._

_The soft clicking of horse hooves drew his attention to the animal beneath him and he quirked an eyebrow at the beast. It seemed to be his horse from back home in Mirkwood; his marvelous dapple gray, but the horse seemed too bright in color and bore no spots. Yet this horse was not Arod as it had a mane of pure white hair, rather than the gray color Arod doted._

_Legolas gave the broad neck a gentle pat as he gave up trying to identify the animal. It made little difference what horse he rode and he lifted his gaze the forest around him once again._

_He felt totally at ease and for some strange reason, he knew he had not felt this way for a while. Somehow he felt as though a great burden had been weighing him down and this was the first time, in a long time, where his troubles could not reach him._

_Suddenly, the elf heard his name and he perked his attention to the forest and strained his ears to pick up on the noise again. Somewhere in the forest, a wafting voice was calling for him asking for his help. The voice was not urgent nor was it distressed, but he gave into curiosity and guided the horse to the thick brush where he thought he heard the voices. As he peered through the thick foliage, he caught sight of Aragorn and Gimli. They were walking down a well worn path and other than the sound of their shuffling gait, they made no noise._

_Aragorn turned back as if he knew the elf was watching him and sought out the prince's eyes through the thick leaves. For a brief moment, they locked onto each other's gaze._

_"Help us." Aragorn seemed to speak to him, but his mouth made no movement. The man was very nonchalant in his movements and turned back to the path. There his pace quickened and Gimli followed. It wasn't long before the two beings disappeared around a bend in the road._

_Legolas dismounted quickly and tore through the brush. He didn't know why, but he seemed frantic. He felt as though he needed to get to his friends quickly, but with no purpose. As he bolted down the path, he rounded the bend and a sense of deja-vu hit him._

**Suddenly, a warning was sent out to the elf. It wasn't a voice, rather it was more of a feeling. He stopped in his tracks and listened, using his heightened Elven senses to decipher the noises in the dark forest. The trees were groggy as fall was lulling them into their deep, winter sleep, but they were calling out to the elf, begging him to hide. A few yards ahead of him, he saw the blurry outline of a willow tree; its long drooping branches were swaying in the slight breeze. It was calling to him, offering refuge within its thick strong branches and security in the swaying limbs…**

_The elf stepped back a pace and hesitated. He had been here before, this had happened before. He was confused. Just a moment ago it was a warm spring day, but as he took in his surroundings, it was a bitterly cold fall night and he was puzzled as the trees kept telling him to hide._

_The elf looked around and spotted Aragorn standing by the willow tree. The man was was holding the branches back, perhaps for the dwarf who had already walked into the coverage, but the man remained outside for a moment and gave pause to watch the elf. He made no sound to his friend, but he slowly turned once again and Aragorn disappeared into the shadows that were created by the tree branches._

_Legolas wanted to shout to the man to make him stop, but no matter how much pressure he applied to his lungs, his voice would not make a sound. He didn't know why, but fear began to clutch itself to his heart. _

_With agitation, he noted that he was hesitant to approach the tree. The elf made himself move and he took heavy footsteps to approach the tree. the elf fought against himself as he pushed his body forward. Every step mounted his dread and his heart was in his throat. Yet, he had to reach his friends._

_He arrived at the tree and pushed his way past the branches. At first, nothing was present under the foliage; there was no tree trunk nor was there any indication that he was in a forest. Before him was a blank, gloomy darkness that seemed to stretch on forever. The man and dwarf were nowhere to be seen and the empty dark space gave no hint that they were near. A single prick of dread formed in his core. Something was not right. His instincts screamed at him to run and he found himself obeying._

_The elf turned around to head out of the tree, but instantly ran into a wooden wall that appeared directly behind him. His hands flew to the rough surface, frantically searching for a way out, but the sturdy boards would not budge._

_A dark laugh to his back caused his stomach to flop and his heart to drop. The elf whirled around and was face to face with Dreager and the guard. The blank, black void manifested into the worn down store and he froze in blatant fear as the men slowly advanced. The guard held a thick metal collar and Dreager had the ringed gag. Legolas pressed himself against the wall at his back, wishing the boards would give way, but the splintering wood seemed to be stronger than stone._

_With sickening despair, the elf saw both Aragorn and Gimli standing in the doorway of the shack. Their expressionless faces watched him before they turned and walked out of the store, leaving him behind to face whatever fate he came to._

_He tried to call out to his friends, but again, words refused to leave his lips. The two men stalked towards him slowly, cornering him and giving him no way out._

_Out of desperation, Legolas balled his fist and swung at Dreager as the man came closer. His aim went wide and his fist went through an earthenware jar that was perched on one of the counters. Sharp bits of pottery cut his knuckles deeply and his hand was bleeding freely. He watched as time seemed to stop and blood - his blood - poured out of the open wound._

_He recovered however and took another swing, but as he did so, thick coiled rope appeared out of nowhere and snared both of his wrists, squashing his fight._

_"Open wide!" The man taunted and when the elf refused, a giant fist slammed into the side of his head. As the elf focused on the men again, panic consumed his awareness as he realized the men intended on putting the ringed gag in his mouth._

_He wanted to fight, he wanted to try and break free, but Legolas could only watch as the man's hand reached for his jaw. As the extremity got closer, the human hand transformed to a thick, twisted back hand with yellowed claws. He looked back to his captor, but a gnarled black face with smoldering eyes was staring back at him. The man was no longer present and a horrific Uraki curled its lips back into a gruesome smile._

_The clawed hand slid under the prince's chin and the thumb and fingers sought the muscle behind his jaw bone. With a tortuous squeeze, the creature forced the elf's mouth open. The Uraki paused for a moment before its gruff voice flooded Legolas' head._

_"One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them. One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness... you will forever be mine!" With the last words, the dark creature pushed the thick ring into his mouth before the strap was cinched as tight as it could possibly be pulled._

_The Uraki released his hold on the elf and Legolas bucked his head to try and throw the restraint, but it was no use. The evil creature just laughed at the elf's failed attempts to remove the gag._

_"Elven whore!" It spat the words as though they were a curse. The ring prevented the elf's mouth from closing and the prince noted with shame that he drooled helplessly. The beast gave a smug grin to the elf then laughed at his humiliation before taunting the elf with his embarrassment._

_"Eager little maggot, aren't you? Can't wait to taste me?"_

_The Uraki then reached for the prince again, but as the hand was pushed forward, it changed back to a man's hand as it slid around his throat and constricted against his airways, forcing them shut._

_"What a beautifully, helpless sight you are." A man gasped as he played with his prize and marveled at his fair Elven features. The man let the fingers of his free hand slide through the elf's golden tress, and the feeling of fingers in his scalp send chills down Legolas' spine. He did not want this man to touch him in any way. The hand clenched a fist full of hair close to the scalp and hauled the elf's head up, forcing the prince to look at his tormentor._

_Legolas tried to breathe, but the hand that was wrapped tightly around his throat would not allow him to do so and he felt sluggish and hazy while he started to suffocate._

_"Sorry 'bout that." The man said as he released the prince's trapped neck and Legolas panted. "Don't want you dying on me before I get my money's worth out of you." With that, the man whistled and both Dreager and the guard stepped forward with the iron collar._

"Bind him. Elves are tricky and dangerous; I do not want him to get away." _The man ordered. Again, Legolas was sure he had heard those exact words before._

_As the iron collar was snapped shut, he felt the men pulling at his clothing. One by one, the clasps of his tunic were pulled apart while other hands tugged at the laces to his leggings._

_Legolas shrieked and tried to fight with them, but one of the men pressed a wadded up cloth through the ring in his mouth and deep into his throat to silence their prisoner. _

_Legolas suddenly went still and could not force his body to obey him. his arms felt like stone and it was even hard to move his eyes away from the men before him. He wanted to close his eyes, but he could do nothing more than blink occasionally and watched as the men continued to undress him. He felt his clothing being removed from his body and he heard an invisible crowd of people gasp in splendid awe at his nakedness._

_Bile rose in the elf's throat but the cloth that was pressed in this mouth kept him from coughing the acidic fluid up._

_The men tied his wrists together then hauled him up to let him hang by his arms. The store had vanished, but he now found he was in cold, dark forest. the sound of metal on metal rang through the night as a fight could be heard behind him through the trees. He did not see those locked in battle, but his heart knew his friends were out there fighting for their lives._

_Men started to filled the area in which he hung and they reached out for him, feeling his body up and down. The hands trailed around his waist and groped at his elfhood, trying to arouse him so they could further tease the elf and berate him with shame._

_There was nothing pleasant about the unwanted contact and when their efforts went unrewarded with what they sought, their bruising grasp moved to tightly grip his arse cheeks and pulled them apart. He felt the familiar searing pain in his backside as he was breached in a mighty thrust, ripping the delicate flesh._

_The elf tried to scream but the gag kept him silent._

_"You are mine forever!" A voice panted as the man reached his peak and gripped the elf tighter about the hips. "I'm gonna make so much money off of you, filthy whore!... Filthy, elven, used, dirty whore!"_

* * *

Legolas bolted upright with a gasp and frantically took in his surroundings. He panted desperately as confusion hit him. He was unsure where he was, but as he took in the peaceful setting around him, memory returned telling him he was safe in Gondor.

The doors to the balcony had been cracked open, allowing the slight breeze to carry the crisp air into his sleeping quarters. The light of the moon spilled through the doorway casting a silvery carpet of light onto the ornate rug placed in the center of the room. The sheer drapes swayed lazily with each drift of wind and the soft sound of the rustling fabric proved to be the only noise present in the prince's chambers. The fire had died hours ago and the faint glow of the few stubborn embers that refused to die peeped through the soot and ash.

Legolas felt sick. As the nightmare slowly receded, he let out a heavy sigh as he dropped his head to his hands and concentrated on breathing. It hurt to breathe. Every intake of breath felt as though a cave troll was standing on his chest, trying to crush the life out of him. His heart was pounding in his ribcage and it did little to ease the nauseousness he felt in the pit of his stomach. He was drenched in perspiration and he wiped his forehead with his hand as the beads of sweat trickled down his temples. He felt uncomfortable as his damp clothing clung to him and despite the cold air that flooded the room, the prince felt unnaturally hot.

He grabbed the sheets and thick comforter that were tangled about him and threw the covers off in a hurry. He swung his legs over the side of the bed as he slipped off the mattress and made his way to an accent table that held a glow globe. After lighting the softly glowing lamp, he carried it to the bathroom where he placed it on the large sink. He grabbed the knobs of the faucet to get the water going and plugged the drain with a stopper so the basin could fill with cool water. Curling over the sink, he cupped his hands and splashed the liquid over his face.

The cold water was refreshing and it soothed his flushed cheeks as he doused his face time and time again. He pulled his hair back and held it over his head with one hand as he ran a dripping hand over the back of his neck, catching the sticky sweat and cooling him down. He let out a shaky sigh as he felt his heart rate begin to lesson, however, he was still uneasy. Vague images from his nightmare creped through his mind, but he pushed the thoughts aside. He did not want to replay the horrific scenes. He had already lived through them and had no desire to call upon the tainted memory. With a frown, he noted that his hands were trembling slightly and failed to recall if he had already been shaking or if it had just started. Leaning on his elbows at the edge of the sink, he bowed his head and breathed in deeply, trying to calm his body

.

His eyes began to sting as an icy lump formed in his throat. His emotions welled up suddenly, but he pressed his fists into his eyes to cut off the formation of tears.

**_Crying again?_** He berated himself. He was thoroughly irritated with his emotions and wished for some peace from the ever present threat of tears. The past few days proved to be one of the toughest battles he had ever fought and with a sick understanding, he noted his only foe was himself.

He didn't understand it; one moment he could feel nothing, and without any warning, his emotions would surface. The long journey back was an uphill battle and he put all of his strength into keeping himself impassive. Aragorn and Gimli didn't help his distress in the least; with one compassionate glance, or kind words of encouragement, the elf would come close to crumbling and the fight would be dragged on.

The elf removed his fists from his eyes and stared blankly at his hands. Legolas locked his fingers together as he continued to lean on the sink. He rested his forehead against his arms and remained motionless, letting an eerie calm settled over him. He felt hollow inside and yet his chest felt as though it were filled to capacity with sorrow, anger, distress, hopelessness and despair. It felt like all the love and joy in his life had been sucked out of him, leaving behind an ever growing mountain of depression.

Legolas sighed deeply, trying to expel the gut-twisting emotions, but with little success. He lifted his head and looked to his hands again that were still shaking slightly. Gently, he eased them into the wash basin and held his hands underwater, feeling the cold work its way into his hands. He hoped to find relief from the tremors he seemed to have no control over.

The cold water felt odd against his skin; it tingled his hands as the low temperature of the water sapped all of the heat from his digits, slowly numbing his long graceful fingers. The gentle cold grip continued up his hands to his wrists where the scabs from his confinement still circled around his limbs as the rope-burned wounds slowly healed. The cold water begun to cause the sores to throb and with a heavy breath, he lifted his hands from the water.

He remained leaning on the sink for a time, watching the drops of water fall from his fingertips and land in the bowl of water with a melodic plink. The marble pattern of the sink became construed as the drops caused ripples to dance over the water's surface in the warm flickering candle light. He brought his cold hands to his bowed head and lightly held his flushed face for a moment, allowing the coolness that was still trapped in his hands to chase away the burning ache in his flushed face.

With yet another sigh, he pushed himself up and grabbed a towel that was hanging on the wall beside himself. He sopped up the moisture on his hands and pressed the soft cloth to his head to attempt to dry his face, but he stopped suddenly as the slightest bit of pressure made the bruises that still covered his face roar in protest. As he lowered the towel from his face, he caught sight of himself in the mirror above the sink and froze.

The elf staring back at him looked foreign and he almost thought there was another being in the bathroom because he did not recognize himself. His loose blond hair was stringy as he had not cared for it with his normal routines. Dark circles were smudged under his eyes from lack of sleep and a haunted, frightened look was etched into his features. The bruises that decorated his face were nowhere near healed and in the faint candle light, looked as though tar had been slapped across his features. His split lip was dryly encrusted as the cruel wound mended and he had a matching wound, though larger, across his temple. The water he had splashed on his face ran down his brow and caught in his lashes before the drops became heavy, falling to his cheeks and silently rolling away.

To the elf's dismay, he appeared to be crying.

Legolas looked away from his reflection in disgust as the only thing he noted was how weak and pathetic he must look. Was that really him? His vision began to blur with the onset of fresh tears. He pushed his face toward the ceiling as he breathed deeply and blinked rapidly trying to keep his emotions in check. The image of himself beset the elf as his weary and overtaxed mind distorted the mental picture. The elf in the mirror seemed to mock him, presenting a sight only worthy of sorrow and pity. There was nothing in the mirror to be proud of; the brave warrior was gone, the regal prince was dead and the once bold, defiant eyes were now dull and lost.

Legolas didn't even know what he was doing until it was too late.

His face twisted in rage as he drew his clenched fist back. With all of his strength positioned in his right arm, he thrust it forward into the mirror with a single mighty punch. The instant his fist connected with the glass, it shattered, sending silver fragments in all directions as the thick wooden frame cracked and fell from the hook that suspended it. With a loud crash, the frame landed on the marble floor and came to rest at his feet with broken fragments of the mirror strewn over every flat surface in the bathroom.

Legolas stood motionless in the center of mess for a few moments not exactly sure what had happened. He looked at the glass on the floor and his stomach dropped; each piece of the reflective glass held an image of himself and he scowled as he could not stand the sight of himself anymore. He backed out of the bathroom leaving the glow globe perched on the glass strewn counter and stood in the middle of the living quarters dumbfounded.

The peaceful room was bitterly cold and the prince found he was shivering despite only a few moments ago he was hot and sweating. A wave of nauseousness assaulted him followed by a stab of panic. He felt trapped as the familiar bite of tears reached his eyes again and he was unsure if he could stop their presence this time.

He made for the bed and grabbed the thick comforter off of the mattress. He swung the enveloping material snugly around his shoulders as the rest of the blanket draped over his form. With that small comfort, he stormed to the balcony to find some peace.

The balcony graced the elf with a wondrous sight of a tranquil, sleeping garden. For just a brief moment, the depression that had embedded itself into the prince seemed to dissipate.

Despite the time of year, the plant laden oasis was beautiful. The few large trees within the area stood tall and proud. Their leafless skeletons swayed stiffly in the slight wind, daring stronger guts to try and make them bend. The top most branches splayed over the sky and the twigs reached for the stars that peppered the vast space. The moon was overhead shedding its magical light over the landscape. Dead, dried flowers clung to thin, wispy stalks and the parchment-like petals caught the moonlight. They absorbed the pale light, giving them the appearance of lively spring blossoms. His eyes sought the little leaf that fell to garden that afternoon. His sharp vision blurred as he saw the little leaf, along with all of its companions, gripped in harsh blanket of splintering, bitter frost.

Legolas let out a soft sigh and his breath instantly fogged in the crisp air before a gentle breeze pushed the vapor away from his face and vanished. The elf shuddered as the wind found its way through the loosely wrapped blanket. He pulled the makeshift cloak tighter around his frame as the cold dragged him from his peaceful state. The mountain of depression inside his chest was growing again. With a weary huff, the elf shifted, lowering himself to the stone floor of the balcony and scooting to the stone wall behind him just a few inches from the doorway leading back inside. He took great care to sit on the hard surface; drawing his feet under him to keep his weight off his still healing bottom. He tucked the edges of the quilt around his legs and pulled the lip of the blanket over his head allowing it to cover his face, much like a deep hood from a cloak would do.

He peered through the slats of stone that created an ornate fence that framed the balcony. He tried to will the calm he had felt moments before to return, but was disappointed as his heart seemed to feel heavier than it did before. He dropped his hooded face to his hands and held it for a moment, trying to push his way through the thickness that consumed him.

His hand began to beg for attention as a throbbing pain was finally noted by elf. He pulled it free from the blanket and inspected his knuckles. The elf had little reaction to what he found and could only stare at the gruesome wound to his hand.

His hand was bleeding freely from a various mix of cuts and scratches that he had received from the mirror. A large fragment of silver glass was sticking out of his knuckles between his index and middle finger. The silver surface was tinted red from his blood and large drops of the thick crimson fluid dripped off the end of the jagged piece and onto the cream colored blanket.

Something tugged at his mind, telling him that he should seek help, but he had no desire to leave his place and search for someone to help him with his own folly at this hour of the night. Without much thought, the elf pulled the sharp object out of his own hand and threw the shard a few paces away with a casual flick of the wrist. The blood was leaking at an alarming rate, but the elf seemed to care little. As the bloodstain on the blanket grew, he brought his free hand up to the cut and pressed his thumb against the laceration to try and stanch the bleeding. The instant he applied pressure, sharp spikes of pain drove their way into his hand.

He stopped immediately and focused on the wound.

**_...He watched as time seemed to stop and blood - his blood - poured out of the open wound…_**

Legolas stiffened as the images from his past and nightmare returned. The voices of men filled his head no matter how hard he tried to block it out.

"_Elven whore!_"

"_What a beauty you are_."

"_Fucking slut._"

"_This will be to my liking._"

"_I'm going to fill you!_"

Legolas shook his head trying to lose the voices that harassed him. His throat constricted and his breathing hitched at the memory. His body convulsed as a sob finally broke free from his lips. He tried desperately to cut his emotions off, but the buildup was too great and this time, he could not harness his distress. The walls he had built crashed down like a dam in a flood, and the Elven prince curled under the blanket as he wept silently.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

* * *

Aragorn woke up before the sun had risen and could not get back to sleep. He tossed and turned for the better half of the hour but he gave into wakefulness after realizing he was up for the day. The fire had burned low in his chamber's fireplace and the air was slightly cool in the rooms. He pulled the covers about him and lay in his large warm bed relaxing and enjoying the peacefulness.

In the faint light, he could see that Arwen still slept and her blue eyes were half-lidded as she lay beside her husband nestled in the bed. He watched her for a while before he planted a soft kiss on her brow and got up.

He stretched his limbs, shaking the last of sleep from his body and he made his way to his son's nursery, giving the dozing infant a quick check before he pulled to door closed to allow the child to continue sleeping.

He was sure there was a lot of work that needed to be done and decided that he better get a start on it now so he would not get swamped later. He made his way to the bathing chambers and got cleaned up with a quick bath, a comb through his hair and a trim to his beard. After a few more hygienic routines were performed, he got dressed and left his rooms.

The halls were still quiet at this hour and his booted heels echoed softly through the halls as he walked to his study. The scones on the walls were either burning low or had burned out, leaving the vast hallways dark and eerie.

He made his way to his study and lit a few candles and glow globes about the room to give him some light and began the daily rituals of pouring over reports, gathering paperwork, jotting down a few logs in a grand book and making notes and itineraries for the meetings that were to be held that day. The king worked diligently and by the time he was done with his tasks, the sounds of the waking kingdom were heard through the closed doors as the staff prepared for another day. The sun was on the rise and the dark study was slowly being brightened by the natural radiant light. The king pushed himself back from his duties and watched as the lands outside his windows were lit up.

There was a soft knocking on the door and the man looked to the wooden frame.

"Your Highness? 'Tis Anna with your morning tea." The head maid called out.

"Ah yes Anna, please come in." Aragorn called out.

The maid pressed her back against the door and forced it open as she held a tray between her hands. A ceramic cup and kettle were placed on it with a small bowl of tea leaves and a spoon-shaped strainer. A small bowl of sugar was added to the tray as well as thick cream and honey, giving the king a choice as to how he would take his tea this morning. A few pieces of fresh fruit were placed on a plate giving him a small kick-start to start the day. The tray was placed at the head of the desk and Anna went about preparing the tea for her king while he sat in the chair and looked over the morning landscape.

As Anna added the leaves to the strainer and placed it in the cup of hot water, she picked up a small, light conversation.

"'Tis a glorious morning, your Majesty!" She said with a smile and she looked to her king as he returned the greeting. "It is a bit cold out there now but I think we should thank the Valar for this beautiful time. It will not be long before we wake up to a surprise snow at our doorsteps and Autumn will be gone before we know it." She smiled as she stirred the cup of tea before placing it on a saucer and handing it over to the man.

Aragorn smiled; he was pleased that his staff felt comfortable talking casually with him. When he first came to power, he struggled to feel at ease with his staff and they felt the same way. Their previous Steward, Denethor, was a just man, but had little regard to the simple folk under him and the staff knew of his quick, bitter temper. Aragorn had worked very hard over the course of his first few years as king to shed the kingdom of this tainted image of power and was now happy that the staff felt relaxed around him. He had a ton of respect for his servants and staff and he found that they too respected him; not because they had too, but because they really did respect their gentle, kind, king.

"It is a fine morning indeed." He said, looking out his windows again. The streets below were becoming busy as people went about their morning activities.

"We have begun our work today, but are there any special requests you have of us?" She asked as she placed the plate of fruits in front of the man and handed him a napkin.

The king tapped his fingers on the wooden desk as he thought. With two distinct loud knocks, the man inclined his head.

"Yes, actually, there are a few things that can be done, but they take no priority and can be gotten to when you have time... if you would find our seamstress and let her know that clothing in the wood-elf fashion will need to be made. We will have to get measurements at a later time, but they can begin working on pulling materials together and working out some of the details... I will also need for you to find my brothers and speak with them on their rooms... They will be dwelling here and while I'm sure they would love to have rooms close to mine as they are now, the ones they are currently in, are guest quarters. Please work with them to make sure that they have the rooms to their liking, or new ones made ready for them if they wish."

"Anything else your Majesty?" she asked.

"Not at the moment, but thank you."

Anna bowed her head at the request. "Breakfast is being made now and should be ready in about an hour. The midday meal will take place in the Hall of Fire. We need to scrub the floors to the dining hall and do not want anyone to slip on the stone while it is still wet, but the it should be ready by supper. Do you have any specific requests for the evening meal?" she asked.

"No; whatever the staff makes I am sure will be fine."

Again, Anna bowed her head respectfully.

"There is also the matter of the Last Harvest Feast. Planning is underway and we would like to know what you request this year?"

"Already?... my, it seems like that took place only two months ago... how time passes so quickly?..." He mused as he could not believe that a year had passed and they were beginning preparations for the massive yearly feast yet again.

The Last Harvest Feast was a grand holiday that had been a custom to Gondor for centuries. It was a massive celebration everyone took part in to have a last grand hurrah before the bitterness of winter set in. Traditional feasts were held, dances took place and friends, acquaintances, neighbors and family all gathered to partake.

The past few years, King Elessar had extended the invitation to many of his distant friends and held his own celebrations with a vast turnout of advisers, council members, high-ranking soldiers and others that he worked closely with.

Friends from other realms were invited to partake as well. The King of Rohan, Éomer, would travel with some of his men to join the Gondorian holiday. They would meet with Gimli on their way down and would arrive to the white city with the thunderous hooves of horses carrying them across the land.

The Last Harvest Feast was a favorite holiday to the Prince of Ithilien, and Faramir would never miss a single festivity. He had been living the past few years in the city of Osgiliath just a few leagues away from Minas Tirith while reconstruction underwent to the demolished city. He and Éowyn would leave on a long vacation of sorts and would spend a bit of time in Minas Tirith, the place that Faramir used to call his home.

Though they were elves, Elladan and Elrohir usually showed up for the human holiday, but once it got cold out, their visit would normally turn to an extended stay and would not leave until the thaw of spring was near.

Legolas would join them too, and was known to bring a few of the elves along that did not have families of their own to keep company with during this time of celebration.

"To be honest Anna, I care not what takes place so long as everything comes together and the festivities are not delayed." He said with a smile. "Leave the planning and decisions to Arwen. She has a better eye for detail on these matters than I."

"Yes your Highness."

After a few more discussions to the day's events, Anna let herself out and left her king to his morning tea and paperwork.

Aragorn grabbed the mug and strode to the large windows of his study and looked out over the scene below as he drank from his cup slowly. His study overlooked the entire kingdom and into the fields past the city's gates. He looked out across the flat plains and rolling hills at some unseeing point. The mountains that his kingdom were built into stretched out to the right and they were an unusual color of blue-gray this morning as a deep frost covered the landscape and had not had a moment to melt. The bright sun reflected in the vast covering of tiny ice crystals and the mountains seemed to sparkle and glitter in the golden light making his realm appear to be a colorful jewel in the sunshine. He smiled at the beautiful sight.

He stayed there for a moment proudly overlooking his kingdom and watching as it went about its day.

When his tea was finished, the faint smell of food drifted through his study and he walked back to the desk to finalize his daily organizations before he left the room.

He began to walk back to his chambers to get Arwen up, but as he approached his rooms, another thought crossed his mind. His feet lead him down another short hallway and before too long, he stood before Legolas' chambers.

He pressed his ear against the door to see if the prince had woken yet, but could not make out any noise. He did not want to wake the elf if he was still sleeping, but there was a sudden need to check on his friend and he could not explain it. Aragorn brought his knuckles to the wood and tapped hesitantly on the rough surface. When there was no acknowledgement to the knocking, he gently pushed the doors open and let himself in.

The rooms were still quite dark and gloomy being that they looked over the western edge of the city and the eastern morning light could not reach the windows just yet. It was freezing in the rooms as the fire had died long ago and not even a faint glowing ember remained alive. The man glanced at the bed and noted the empty space. He paused for a moment.

He looked to the bathing chamber and saw a lit glow globe in the darkened room.

"Legolas?" He called out quietly, but received no response. He made his way to the bathing chambers and in the threshold of the door, reflective shards lay scattered on the ground. The man froze briefly, but then rushed into the room. He pushed the door open wide and stepped into the mess, absolutely bewildered as his boots crunched in the broken glass that littered the floor.

"Legolas?" The man looked around the room for his friend but only saw the cracked mirror frame and broken glass everywhere. In front of the sink, there were splatters of blood and the man grew cold.

"What in the..." He could not fathom what happened and his heart began to hammer in his chest.

He quickly backtracked from the bathroom and out into the living chambers, frantically searching for the elf, hoping he had simply overlooked his friend, but he was nowhere to be found.

The doors to the balcony were open and he made for them, stepping quickly outside and gaining the stone railing. He peered over edge and into the garden, hoping to find the elf having a stroll, but the landscape was empty. He thought for a moment on where the elf could be…

**_Perhaps he is with my brothers?_**

Aragorn turned to leave, but stopped short when he found the elf. Legolas was sitting with his back against the wall, slumped against the railing at his side. The comforter from the bed was pulled over his head and only his nose and chin were visible. The prince's exposed skin was deathly pale and his lips had an unusual blue tint. A dark red stain was splattered over the blanket that was wrapped around the elf. Dread began to build in the man and he took a few hesitant steps to the elf.

"Legolas?" he called out, but the elf did not stir. "Legolas? _Mellon-nin_?" but again, the elf did not respond.

The man dropped to his knees beside his friend and gently lifted the blanket from Legolas' pallid face, noting the elf's eyes were closed. Aragorn reached his hands out to the prince and gasped as his warm hands made contact with the prince's ice-cold, bruised cheek. The man gave the elf a slight jostle to try and rouse him. When that did not work, Aragorn became a little panicked.

"Legolas?... Legolas?" He was shaking the elf now.

The elf finally stirred and after a few moments, he blinked his eyes open and he looked to the man blankly.

"Aragorn?"

The man let out a sigh of relief, but it was cut short as he regarded his friend's health.

"What are you doing Legolas? You are cold as ice... How long have you been out here?" The man noted frost that clung to edge of the blanket and he could tell the elf didn't just step out to have a quiet morning. He most likely spent the night out here.

A shiver built in the elf but did not dissipate. Legolas huddled against himself to try and keep warm. His body was tingling sharply and he could feel the chill to his bones. All of his joints hurt and the shivering was not helping the ache any. His teeth began to chatter and his breathing wavered as his tense body reacted to the deep cold.

"What happened?" The man asked as he noted the red stain on the blanket about the elf. Without letting Legolas reply, he pulled the blanket open and checked his friend over.

"N-nothing." The elf tried sitting up to dodge the probing, grasping hands, but Aragorn forcefully gripped the blanket and pulled it open.

"Legolas you are hurt... where are you hurt?" He could not seem to locate an injury, yet the prince was injured... his shirt was intact and had no wounds to his torso, and other than the welted bruises that had been there previously, no new injuries were upon his face. He pulled the blanket further from away from the elf and Legolas' hand came free of the thick comforter.

There, the man spotted the gruesome injury and Aragorn reached out, grabbing the cold, lacerated hand and drew it closer to himself to inspect it.

"What did-... Legolas!... There is glass in your hand!" He slightly pulled the elf's index and middle fingers apart and found small broken fragments of the mirror embedded deep into the tissue. Legolas hissed as his injured fingers were moved and he tried to pull his hand back.

Aragorn pursed his lips.

"What happened?" He asked again.

"A-a mirror h-happened." The elf chattered matter-of-factly.

"You did this? You did *_that_*?" The man pointed toward the bathing chambers.

"I-I am s-sorry Aragorn. Truly I am. I-I am not sure what really h-happened."

"Well it looks like you had a brawl with a mirror and lost."

The elf's dark lips curled into a faint, lopsided smile. "D-did you s-see the mirror? I-I do not think I l-lost."

"It is not funny!" The man cut in. He was getting a little angry at the elf for his casual approach to this. "This is serious! Did you do this on purpose? Or did the mirror fall? Why did you not seek help?"

"It i-is not that bad S-Stri-"

"Not that bad?! ...Not that bad?! You are covered in blood and... you have glass shards in your hand! How is this *_not that bad_*?!" The man glared at the elf who just gave a simple shrug.

The man was quickly becoming irked and he looked away to try and ease his frustrations. A few paces away from the two, Aragorn sighted a rather large glass fragment that was encrusted with blood. The man turned back to the elf who was pulling the comforter about himself as he shivered harder.

"Do not tell me *_that_* was in your hand..." Aragorn inclined his head to the fragment.

The elf just sighed and looked away. The man clenched his jaw and rolled his eyes.

"Seriously?" He asked. "I know you are not a healer, but I thought you would have enough sense to know not to remove something like that without help from someone!... Ai Legolas!"

The man stood to his feet and bent over the elf, hooking his arms under the prince's armpits and pulled him to a standing position.

"Come, let us get you warm and I'll see what I can do for your hand." The man said coolly. He placed a hand on the elf's back and guided him to one of the chairs by the fireplace. After lighting a crackling fire, the man headed for the door.

"I'll be right back." the man's low voice was a clear indication that his mood was darkening. "I need to get some things to remove the glass and bandage the wound. I am going to send someone up to clean the bathroom so no one gets hurt." Aragorn walked to the doors and let himself out without another word, leaving the shivering elf by the fire. As the man walked down the hall, the elf could hear him calling out to Anna to get her help.

All was silent for a while, but the doors to his rooms were pushed open and Anna stepped in with a pail and broom and made for the bathing chambers. She saw the elf sitting in the chair but refused to look directly at him as she headed to darkened area and began to clean up the mess. The broom scraped across the floor as the broken glass was swept up and discarded into a waste hamper. She picked the hefty wooden frame off of the floor and placed in the hallway before she went back, gathered her things and left.

Time passed, but the elf did not make any attempt to mark it as he was consumed by the chill that would not leave. Legolas curled on himself trying to warm up. He felt ridiculously weak that the cold, of all things, was now overpowering him and he could not shake the feeling. Vague images of last night's events replayed in his head and he tried to make sense of it. The nightmare came back to him but he exhaled deeply to try and push the thoughts and emotions away as they began to plague him anew.

He did not know how long Aragorn was gone but after what seemed like forever, the man showed up with a bundle of items and he prepared the space to tend to his friend. The man did not say a word as he got set up and the prince shifted uncomfortably as he noted the man's annoyed mood had not lifted and he seemed to be the cause of it.

Aragorn picked up a drinking horn he brought in and crouched in front of the shivering elf. He pushed Legolas' arms to the side while he lifted the prince's shirt and pressed the leather pouch against the elf's abdomen. Legolas began to protest, but the man put an end to it quickly, calmly and sternly.

"Stop Legolas. This contains hot water. The heat will help warm you, but if you are not careful and struggle, you could uncork it and it will scald you. Now hold still." The elf stopped as the man pressed the hot leather pouch to his stomach and Legolas instantly felt the warmth seep into his skin. As the man pulled the shirt back down, the elf wrapped his arms around the bottle to hold it into place.

Legolas let out a soft sigh as the relaxing heat was beginning to spread through his body.

"Let me see your hand."

The elf held it out to the man who pulled his arm to settled the injured appendage over a folded square of thick material that rested on the man's knee. Aragorn bent low to get a better look at the wound and reached for a second drinking horn, pouring a small amount of water onto a cleaning cloth and wiping the dried blood away.

Next, Aragorn pulled out a jar of lavender colored oil and placed a few drops on the cut. The medicine burned intensely and Legolas pulled his hand back at the sting, but the pain did not last long. Once the discomfort dissipated, the area was left completely numb to all feeling. Aragorn placed a few more drops on the wound for good measure before he brought a very small knife to the wound and surgically opened the torn flesh it to give him better access to the shards of glass.

"I take it you did not get much sleep last night?" The man asked while he took his time with the wound. He chanced a glance at the elf who was watching the man's movements. As the prince began to warm up, Aragorn could see it had been a stressful night for the elf. Legolas looked completely worn out.

Legolas didn't respond to the comment and looked back to his hand as Aragorn used tweezers to pull a fragile spike from his knuckles.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

"I broke the mirror." The elf mumbled in a flat tone.

The man stopped his movements and gave the elf a stern look.

"I mean, why did you break the mirror?"

The elf looked away from the man. "Because... I... saw a hideous creature in it." Legolas said. His words were frosted with disdain and sounded disappointed with what he had seen.

"What?" The man put his tools down and quirked an eyebrow at the elf. "Monsters? Legolas, don't you think you are a little old for that _mellon-nin_?" He teased lightly while a smile began to tug at the corners of the man's mouth. He sobered quickly however as the elf's eyes began to shimmer and he asked his friend about the matter with soft worry. "Legolas, what happened?"

The elf shook his head. "I don't know. I mean... I know I broke the mirror, but the details are a bit fuzzy..." he said. He would not look the man in the eyes as he talked. The image of himself crept back to his awareness and he wondered dully if he looked like that right now; a pathetic, weak, used, dirty, elf... He concluded that he did and he suddenly wished that Aragorn was not here... or he was not here... that he was alone somewhere where no one could see him. The prince's breathing wavered slightly as the tightening in his chest began to build.

The man did not know what was going through his friend's mind but watched him closely for a while before picking up the medical instruments and resumed his surgery. Legolas was hiding something, that much was obvious, but what, the man could only speculate. There was so much information he needed to get from the elf, but he decided to pick his battles.

"So... I want to talk to you." The man said. He pulled another fine fragment from the flesh and wiped it on the square cloth.

"In regards to what?" The elf mumbled. He was in no mood to talk.

"About you." Aragorn kept quiet while he continued to dig around looking for more glass. He pushed the scalpel into the skin again and went deep.

"Ai! That hurts!" The elf cried out and jerked his hand back.

"Sorry, it appears it is not numb that deep. Give me just a moment..." Aragorn stated calmly and he reached for the phial of purple anesthetic. He let few more drops of the oil fall into the cut and waited for the well known sting to subside before he continued.

"I received a letter from Valiändier, your second in command."

The elf looked up sharply to king. "What for? Is everything alright?" There was a hint of worry in his voice at the mention of a letter. Since things were going well in his lands and there was no news when he left, he was certain this did not bode well.

"All is well Legolas. He responded to a letter that I had sent." The man looked to the elf. "A letter that I had sent to you."

Legolas' brows furrowed in question.

The man sighed. "I think there are some gaps in our beliefs as to what has transpired these past few days and I have been left with only more questions than answers, Legolas."

"What was your letter?"

"I needed some help. I wrote to you asking for you to join Gimli and myself to peruse slave traders. I have to say, I was in a rush and did not await a response from you as I had assumed you would have joined us." The man went back to work, plucking another jagged piece of glass from the cut.

"I..." the elf began, but his voice suddenly refused to work properly as his blood began to run cold and it had nothing to do with the temperature he was subjected to. "I was not in Ithilien... I was away, I never got your message."

The king looked to Legolas with a level stare.

"I know." He said.

The two just stared at each other as a cord of understanding wrapped around their minds. Legolas had no inkling that the man was near during his capture until he regained his senses and the man had found him under the willow tree. Aragorn had no idea that the prince had been taken prisoner. Both friends began to feel sick at this sudden realization.

"Gimli and I left once we sent you the message and waited for you to join us on the outskirts of the town, but you never showed up. We figured that you were either too busy to make it or your trek was delayed. We pushed on without you, hoping to cross paths with you at a later time, but we ended up finding you that night instead."

The prince looked away. He was trying so hard to simply forget that night all together and now it was being brought up yet again. His eyes began to sting and his throat began to pinch. The silence stretched on between the two and the elf's stomach dropped when his thoughts turned to dark 'what-ifs'.

"Legolas?" The man questioned. He felt terrible to relay this news to the elf.

"You were not looking for me then?" The elf had guess that somehow Aragorn and Gimli found out he was missing and their arrival was the end to their search of him, but hearing that neither Gimli or Aragorn, or anyone for that matter, even knew he was taken, left the elf feeling panicked as he realized he may have never been found... he could still be there…

"No, Legolas, we had no idea that you... I'm sorry." The man stopped as he noted the distant look in the elf's eyes. "When we got you back, I had thought you did come out to help us and somehow fell prisoner to them, but I did not know you never intended on making it."

The prince shook his head in disbelief.

"All of this knowledge came to light last night once we got back. Valiändier sent a response to the message I sent to you and I only received Valiändier's note upon our return. He indicated that you were away and he would keep the message for you once you were back in Ithilien."

The man removed the last shard of glass and splayed the wound to have a final look, making sure there was no more glass in the cut before he retrieved a needle and thread to begin stitching the cut. After threading the needle, he gently pulled the first of many sutures through the skin and began to close the wound.

"Valiändier's letter mentioned that you have been taking several trips north."

Legolas shifted uncomfortably as this new topic was being brought up and it was not lost on the man.

"I discussed the matter with my brothers and they confirmed that you have passed through Rivendell several times this year but you have been vague on you errands when you leave to go further northbound..."

The man brought the knife to the thread and cut it off after the first stitch was complete and he began on another one.

"Legolas, where do you go?" Aragorn looked up from his work trying to find an answer to his question before the elf spoke, but he was surprised to see a look of distant longing in the prince's dull eyes. This was different from the look that had been present the past few days and the man didn't understand it.

"North." Legolas muttered.

"Why?" The man asked. The elf swallowed hard before he clenched his jaw and Aragorn continued. "My brothers said that you go north to look for others to help in Ithilien?"

Again, the elf kept quiet.

"Legolas? Do you need help with something? If you need more people, I can send some of my men to help you with-"

"No, Aragorn, we do not need help." The prince quietly admitted. The elf was frustrated, but it was not directed at Aragorn and the man straightened up to give the conversation his full attention, leaving the task of closing the wound for a few moments.

"Why is it, then, you keep going north?"

The elf did not answer the question but shifted once again before he spoke.

"How many stitches is this going to need?" The elf pulled the question out of nowhere to try and take control of the subject and he leaned over, pretending to be interested with the progress made on his hand. He was trying to get the man to take the bait.

Aragorn squinted his eyes. He knew this ploy too well and would not fall for it, not even for a second.

"Oh no you don't Legolas, we are not going to change the subject. Something is not adding up _mellon-nin_. What is it that you have been seeking?"

"It is nothing Aragorn, really." The elf sat back and looked around the room trying to find something he could look at so he did not have to look the man in the eyes. He settled on looking out the window and fixed his sights on the bare tree branches that rose from the garden.

Aragorn was starting to lose his patience with the elf and he paused for a moment to gather himself.

"I'd say it is something to make you travel great distances several times a year." The man said and went back to stitching the wound. "Are you homesick? Do you travel to Mirkwood?" The man asked.

The elf sighed. "Yes and no. I am not homesick, for Mirkwood is no longer my home, but... I do pass by."

"Why?"

The elf shook his head as he could not come up with an answer he wanted to supply and huffed slightly.

"Are you looking for something?"

The elf did not respond and it seemed as though he was acting as like he did not hear the question.

"Are you looking for *_someone_*?"

The elf took in a deep breath and glanced at the man quickly before pursing his lips and looking back to the window. The man took the reaction for what it was and knew he had hit the subject on the spot as the elf seemed to fidget.

"Who are you looking for?"

"No one."

"So you travel thousands of leagues, several times a year to search for someone who is really no one?" Aragorn told a sarcastic recap of the conversation thus far, illustrating that the elf was being quite ridiculous.

The elf shook his head after the comment and gave in slightly only to get the man off his case regarding the matter.

"I was only looking for a friend."

Aragorn paused for a moment and quirked his lips in an irritated smirk.

"And why was that so hard to tell me?... Who is this friend you seek?" The man went back to work, closing the wound.

"Just a friend, Strider." Legolas said.

"Well, can I help you find him?"

The elf studied the crown of Aragorn's head, noting a few silver strands that streaked across the dark tress. Legolas chewed on his lip slightly, running the tip of his tongue against the scab that was still mending.

"No. I do not believe my friend is with us any longer."

"Why? Do you think he sailed with your father?"

The prince shook his head, though the man could not see the gesture since his attention was focused on the elf's hand.

"Nay, I think my friend passed." The elf whispered as he sat back. He looked out the window again and let his mind wonder. "I have guess this much a long time ago but wanted to head back just to make sure. This was most likely going to be my last trip before I gave up, but I never made it up there this time."

"How long have you been searching?"

"I do not really know... I have... always kept an eye out and hoped to hear news for many decades now-"

"Decades?! He has been missing that long?!" The elf's lack of dispute answered the man's question.

"I have really only been searching on my own for just the past few years. Three... perhaps four... But it matters not anymore."

Aragorn looked up uncertainly and watched as the elf turned inward. The prince had the haunted longing in his eyes again, but it was mixed with sorrow and fear as other memories began to mix with these new feelings.

The man reached out and placed his hand on the elf's shoulder. He bowed his head giving Legolas' shoulder a comforting squeeze as Aragorn was fond of doing.

"I am sorry Legolas."

This was not the news Aragorn was hoping to uncover and he felt guilty for making the elf talk about this now when Legolas was already dealing with copious amounts of stress. The man picked up where he left off with the stitching and let the silence hang between them as he finished with the wound.

As the last stitch was tied off, an eruption of knocking on the door caused both friends to look to the exit.

"Legolas! Rise and shine!" A cheery male voice filtered through the closed door.

"It is time to get up and start the day!" That voice was very similar to the other one but had a hint of groggy sleep in the usual light voice.

"Breakfast nearly ready, you had better get up now or else the dwarf will eat your portion I'm sure!"

"That was quite rude El'..."

"It was only a joke."

"A very poor one."

Aragorn turned an amused smile to Legolas. "Elladan and Elrohir..." He said as the twins continued to call out the Wood-elf.

"Come on Legolas Greenleaf! Open up!"

"Uh-oh! 'Ro is calling you by your full name! You had better hurry!"

Legolas sighed and shook his head. "Just be quiet Strider. I have no wishes to see anyone else at the moment."

"Let them in Legolas. They have been eager to see you." The man sat back and watched as the blond elf shot him a sharp look.

"No, not like this!" The prince glanced at his bloody appearance and shook his head yet again.

"They have seen worse... just let them in." Aragorn tried to say to his friend, but smiled as the twin's pestering continued.

"Do not make me call you by your full name!"

"Did you not already do that?"

"No I did not."

"But I think you did!"

"No I did not!... And if he does not open the door, then we will just have to let ourselves in! You hear me?... Legolas Greenleaf Thranduilion?"

Aragorn inclined his head to the door. "Come in!" He called out.

"Estel?" both twins asked and the surprise in their voice was clearly heard through the doors.

"Aragorn!" Legolas wailed but it was too late as the twins didn't even wait for a second as the door was opened and they poured in. Legolas flushed in both embarrassment and irritation and quickly turned his head to the windows, trying to hide his face from the twins as long as possible.

"Good morning Estel, Legolas!" One of them spoke and they approached the two but froze when they took in the sight of the prince that sat in a chair in front of the man. The elf was still in his sleeping clothes and he was covered in blood. His head was turned away from them as he looked out the window and refused to acknowledge their presence.

"Legolas? What happened?"

"Are you alright?"

"I am fine." Legolas said but he kept his head turned away from the twins. He did not want them to take sight of the ugly marks on his face as questions would soon follow.

"And what is that?" One of the twins pointed to his shirt. "Paint?"

Legolas clenched his jaw and stiffened at the slight barb.

**_And the questions begin._** He thought.

Aragorn stepped in to get the twins to calm down. The prince had already been ridged with him and he did not want to further aggravate the Wood-elf.

"Legolas cut his hand on a mirror." The man offered the details off-handily. "I have just closed the wound but still need to wrap it. Can you hand me that?" Aragorn pointed to a jar of thick healing goo and a wad of bandages a small distance off. Elladan picked the items up and handed them to his adopted brother as he leaned in to take a look at the cut and admire Aragorn's work.

"Oh... that... that is bad... that is very deep..." Elladan commented calmly while he evaluated the cut. He reached out and took hold of Legolas' wrist, easing his grip a little as his fingers brushed over the rough scabs that wound around the prince's wrist. The Noldor-elf hauled the hand up to his face so he could get a better look at the deep wound.

Aragorn unscrewed the lid to the jar and stirred the contents with a finger to make sure the oils and other ingredients did not separate during storage. "Yes there was glass embedded in there. I had to cut deep to make sure it was all out."

"His fingers should be splinted." Elladan said. "It will immobilize them and keep the stitches from pulling and aggravating the wound. Put some of the balm on it, I'll go fetch something to use as a brace." The elder twin placed the hand back on the cloth at the man's knee and hurried off in search of the healing cabinets.

"How did you cut your hand on a mirror?" Elrohir asked. He sat on the arm of the chair Aragorn occupied and he watched the prince as he painstakingly kept his eyes nailed to the window.

"I broke it." The blond's tone was a bit clipped. He had already been over this with Aragorn and while he was able to keep the human from pestering him more on the subject, he knew the twins could be relentless in dragging information out of him.

Elrohir looked to Aragorn who closed his eyes momentarily and shook his head, silently telling the younger twin now was not the time to press for information.

Elrohir looked to the wood elf again with sorrow in his eyes. He wanted nothing more than to comfort Legolas after hearing of his ordeal but he restrained. Estel was right; the prince was beginning to distance himself and he watched the blond for a while trying to come up with conversation that would be light and not awkward.

"Well, I am glad you are here actually. I think I need some advice..." Elrohir said as a thought came to mind. He watched Aragorn spread the healing lotion over the cut as he spoke.

"Elladan and I were practicing archery one day and it turned to a friendly little competition. But one thing led to another and before we really knew it, 'Dan and I were betting on who could catch a flying arrow." The twin said. He turned his sights to Legolas and watched as the archer kept his gaze firmly to the window.

"We succeeded in catching it only once after many... failed attempts..." A smirk was evident in his voice as he continued. "But have not been able to pull it off since. We wanted to show you our new trick, but I think 'Dan needs to practice more. Perhaps you can help us?"

"I hate to be an oliphant and squish the fun, but that will have to wait a while." Aragorn said looking to Elrohir with a stern look. He knew Legolas' love of the sport and did not want the expert archer to overtax himself just yet. The prince needed to take it easy and get some rest. "Archery will not help this heal. I'm sure pulling a bowstring will put too much stress on the wound."

"Of course! I meant once your hand is better, perhaps you could let us know what we are doing wrong?"

"Why do you want to catch an arrow in mid-flight?" Legolas asked, but kept his sights out the window. The twins could be quite ridiculous sometimes especially when they wanted to try and outdo one another.

"Well, we have seen you do it a handful of times during battles and orc skirmishes. It has always intrigued us-"

"That is a skill for survival... not a game." The elf said quietly.

"Right, but in order to turn it into a skill, it has to start somewhere. One does not simply grab an arrow just because it so happened to fly at his head." Elrohir kept his voice light as he defended his game. He suddenly felt like he was being lectured by his father, stating that this was a bad idea and someone would get hurt. This was quite silly being that Legolas was several hundred years younger than the twins and the thought of Legolas pacing in the room with his hands clasped behind his back as Elrond would do, giving a speech on recklessness, amused the Noldor-elf.

"Well, I am not the one catching the arrow. Elladan is, and he is not good at it."

"I'm not good at it because you cannot seem to fire an arrow in a straight line!" Elladan piped up from the doorway as he made his way back in the rooms. He cuffed his brother on the back of the head lightly at the remark.

Elladan stepped in and began helping Aragorn position the splints and wrapped the hand to add a protective barrier to the wound. As the two worked over the hand, Elrohir watched the prince worriedly. He got up and made his way toward Legolas, rounding the chair and stooping to be placed in Legolas' line of sight.

He graced Legolas with a light warm smile as he looked into the weary blue eyes of his friend and saw the haunted look of desperation, confusion and sorrow within their depths. He spoke quietly to the wood elf.

"Hey... you alright?" Elrohir asked in a dropped voice laced with heartfelt worry.

Legolas met his gaze briefly. There was a great concern in the grey eyes that watched him. This was not the normal worry he faced when he usually got hurt. There was something else going on and the prince looked at him calculatingly.

**_Do they know what happened? How would they have found out?... Estel?... No he would not have said anything to them... Would he_?**

The prince felt Elrohir's piercing eyes go through him and he began to fidget awkwardly. The marks on his face were not questioned as he thought they would be and the Wood-elf began to feel vulnerable that they could tell what happened without even asking... that the very sight of himself gave away every detail to his torment and told the story of how he became so tainted, so used, so weak... He suddenly felt trapped again as a sharp kick of panic exploded in his core. He looked away quickly and worked on squashing the intense feeling.

"Alright, that should do." Elladan said as he tied the bandage off around the prince's hand. "Breakfast is nearly ready. Shall we head down to eat?"

"I'll say!" Elrohir answered happily, trying to cut the tension with his light return. "I am quite ravenous this morning! If the dwarf ate everything, I will be sorely disappointed."

"El! *_That_* is *_not_* nice!" Elladan hissed, flabbergasted that his brother could make such a rude comment for a second time.

"But it is the truth! You have seen him pack away food! It makes no sense! He is so short... where does he put it?" Elrohir shrugged at his own comment as he straightened up and made his way to the prince's dresser. He rummaged through the drawers until he found the only set of clothing that was kept in the wood structure. He pulled it out and unfolded it, looking over the article of clothing.

"The things that come out of your mouth sometimes..." Elladan said as he crossed his arms. He looked to his adopted human brother who was silently chuckling at the usual playful bicker between the identical elves.

"What is this?" Elrohir called out as he grabbed the shirt. "This looks like mine!"

Aragorn got up and stepped close to his brother, speaking softly to the younger twin.

"I had ordered my staff to get some clothing for Legolas. He has nothing here and I did not know you two were here yet. I thought maybe the clothing in your rooms were just spare that he could borrow for a time."

"Oh right of course! I meant nothing by it. It just looked familiar, 'tis all" Elrohir said with a smile. He looked over to the blond elf and called out to him. "This is awful dressy... would you like something a little bit more relaxed?"

Legolas' was still looking out the window but did not respond.

"Legolas?" Elrohir walked back to the prince and once again stood in his line of sight. "Did you hear me _mellon_?" He asked. The prince looked to him and straightened up a bit.

"Sorry, I did not. What did you say?"

"I just want to see if you would like some clothing that is more relaxed. The ones you were provided are a bit formal. I have some other attire I can bring to you if you would like." Elrohir offered. Legolas gave a moderate nod.

"Please. That would be nice." His voice was soft as he took the offer.

Elrohir returned the formalwear to the drawer and made his way out of the rooms.

After a few moments of awkward silence, the prince rose to his feet. The trapped feeling was still coursing through himself and he needed to get away. He pulled the hot water bottle from his shirt and set it in the chair he was just seated in. Without a word, the elf walked out to the balcony. The instant he opened the doors, the cold air rushed him and he began to shiver slightly, but he ignored it. He needed to get out of the rooms and away from everyone. He made for the railing and began to study the garden below to try and distract himself.

Elladan and Aragorn watched as the elf made his way outside. They made no attempt to restrain Legolas but watched as the blond walked to the railing and leaned on it heavily as he looked over the scene below. Once the prince was not within earshot, Elladan talked quietly to Aragorn.

"What really happened?" The elf asked.

Aragorn settled in the chair next to his brother once again and watched the Wood-elf's movements as he spoke in hushed tones to his brother. "Well, I'm not sure. Legolas said he saw a monster in the mirror. My only guess is he had a bad dream and broke it in confusion..."

"Is he alright... I mean... is he *_really_* alright?"

Aragorn took a deep breath. "Does he look alright?... He does not want to talk but he is bothered. I do not want him to keep this all bottled up, but I do not know if I should push him or let him have his way... perhaps let him be and see if he opens up on his own?..."

Elladan did not say anything for he too did not know the best course of action.

"I did find out about his trips north however." Aragorn looked to his brother who was listening intently to the man. "Apparently he has been searching for a friend. For the past few years he has gone back to look for him, but Legolas believes him to be dead."

"Oh no..." Elladan looked back the blond elf through the glass doors with a new worry. "That heartache on top of..."

"Yes, I know. I do not know if that is partially what is plaguing him or not. His friend has been missing for a very long time from what I can gather... Legolas said several decades. But he doesn't believe his friend to be with us any longer."

"Perhaps we can help find him... Once spring returns and the weather poses no further threat to our travels, Ro' and I could go with him to help..."

"I offered that as well... I do not know, we will just have to see."

Elrohir came back into the rooms with a set of clothing and noted the change to the occupants. Legolas was outside and Estel and Elladan were quietly talking. He stepped up to his brothers and Aragorn got up, taking the clothing from his brother and setting it in a chair.

"Why don't you two head down for breakfast. We will meet you there."

"Do you need help?" Elladan offered but Aragorn shook his head.

"No. I think Legolas just needs some space right now. We will be down soon."

The twins took their leave and left the rooms, making their way to the dining hall.

Aragorn stepped out to the balcony and walked to stand beside the elf, looking over the railing and following his friend's gaze to see what was keeping the prince so focused on the garden. The area was littered with dead plant life and the man found no beauty in the sight. A cold breeze passed by and both man and elf shivered against the bite in the air.

"There are some clean clothing for you inside. Why don't you get changed and we will head down for breakfast?"

"I really am not hungry Aragorn."

Aragorn kept his voice stern, but kind as he cut the argument off. "I am not going through this with you again. You need to eat." The man leaned on the railing and looked over the garden in the same fashion the elf was, trying to find some sort of understanding with the prince's thoughts.

"If you would prefer, I can send some food up for you. You can eat here..." He knew it was a risky move as the prince might not eat what was brought up, but perhaps if the prince felt comfortable he would at least pick at the food.

The elf thought for a moment but then nodded his head. "Yes. That will be fine."

Aragorn was a little wary of the reply but didn't press further. Time was ticking away and he had a kingdom that needed to be seen to. He had abandoned his duties to run off for over a week and there were matters that needed to be addressed. He had to work fast to pick up the slack from his absence and fall back into normal routines. Aragorn hated to just leave the elf, but it was clear Legolas wanted nothing to do with anyone at the moment. Perhaps a quiet day alone was just what he needed to relax.

He hoped so.

"Alright. I'll order to have a plate made for you. Once you eat, just... just try to get some rest. I have a lot to do today so I won't be able to see you for a while. If your hand starts to bother you, call 'Ro or 'Dan to help you. They will know what to do to numb it..."

Legolas simply nodded at the instructions, never making a sound nor turned his eyes to the man.

"How... how are your other injuries?" Aragorn asked softly.

"They are fine." The elf said quickly.

"Alright. I'll check them again tonight and place more salve on the bruises. I hope to see some improvement over the next few days."

The elf was silent as he kept his eyes over the dead garden. Aragorn took a step closer to the elf and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Legolas... I... I don't want you to hide from me. You know you can talk to me, right?"

The elf straightened up and crossed his arms across his chest as he nodded lightly. "I know." he said with a sigh.

The man stood there for a moment, but let his hand slip off the shoulder. The elf would not talk further and he honestly did not want to get into the chore of pulling information out of the headstrong elf.

"Alright _mellon-nin_. Just take it easy today."

The man walked away leaving the elf on the balcony while he headed out of the chambers and walked off to the dining hall.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

* * *

Food was brought to the elf that morning, but the despondent prince could not bring himself to eat. His stomach was in knots just as it had been the past few days and even the smell of the food was enough to turn his stomach. By late morning, the maids had come in to replace the sheets and comforter on the bed and took the untouched food away to be disposed. Other than their company, Legolas was left alone the remainder of that day and he spent the solitude either in bed, sitting in the chairs, or staring off into the garden on the balcony trying to find some sort of comfort and rest.

And that was about the extent of his life for the two weeks to follow. He became a recluse and kept himself tucked away in his rooms, shut off from the rest of the world. Everyone worried for the prince. His friends tried with their best efforts to find the delicate balance of leaving Legolas alone as he wished and keeping him company in order to keep a close eye on him, but nothing they did could break through the depression that consumed the elf. They could see the abasement eating at him and everything they did was not enough to reach his spirits.

The wounds on his body eventually did heal however and that was at least a small comforting fact to his friends. It took a lot of tedious care and attention to get the hurts to finally improve and the healers, Aragorn, Elladan and Elrohir, had fallen into a routine over the past fortnight to care for the injuries. Their strict diligence paid off and after what felt like forever, the cuts and abrasions sealed over and the bruises began to fade.

Though the physical wounds healed, the emotional ones did not and despite the Wood-elf's attempt to hide it, the trauma was too great and the effects of it were too noticeable. While they did everything they could for the elf, it was apparent Legolas was not doing well.

Trays of food were dropped off every morning, noon and evening, and were picked back up with nearly everything still on the plate. To his credit, Legolas did try to eat and from time to time he forced himself to pick at the food, but there were good days and there were bad days, and it seemed there were more of the later.

Legolas, Elven strong though he was, was getting weaker and weaker before their eyes. He was starving himself, and the twisted yet realistic nightmares terrorized his sleep, never letting him find true rest. Cold was a constant companion and he found himself sticking close to the fireplace, or wrapped snugly in thick cloaks, blankets or warm clothing. Every day seemed harder to get through and images of sea tugged at his heart. He wanted to sail, he needed to sail, but Aragorn's angry voice would cut through him, reminding the prince of a promise he once made to his friend. No matter how sharp the intense longing was, he fought it, determined not to break his promise. After everything that had happened, the elf did not want to cave in and admit anymore defeat, trying to hold on to some sort of pride and show his usual resilient strength. However, the longer he resisted the call of the sea, the heavier his heart felt.

Yet despite the sea longing, there was a part of him that did not want to leave either. He did not know if it was simply due to his promise, but somewhere shoved in the corners of his heart, the desire to remain in Middle Earth made itself known. This only added to the confusion in the weary elf, clouding the truth as to what he truly wanted and needed.

Those close to Legolas grew more and more concerned, and all attempts to help him made little difference and they watched with dismay as the once light-hearted and social prince became distant and closed everyone out. They wanted to help him, but how, they did not know.

Aragorn would usually wake up early and before he began his work for the day, he would visit with Legolas while tending to him, cleaning his wounds and spreading a generous application of salve over them to boost the healing process. Try as he might, he could not get the elf to open up and any slight indication that the discourse would brush upon the events that transpired, Legolas would close himself off further. Aragorn had simply given up trying to talk to him on the subject, hoping that the issues really could just vanish, but deep inside, he knew that was not the case and the king struggled to find a way to help his friend through his distress. And that tore at the Aragorn; He could only watch as the elf slid further and further into his grief and he had no way to help his friend. Aragorn felt as though he was failing Legolas.

Out of desperation, Aragorn had flat out asked Legolas if he wanted to sail. He dreaded doing it and it took him time to build up the courage to bring the question up, but the elf was quick to say no, and the man took his word for it.

While Aragorn wanted the best for his friend and would do anything to see that the elf's wishes were met, he honestly did not want the elf to leave. He knew it was selfish, but he also knew the day would come when Elladan and Elrohir would leave as they could not whiteness the death of their brother and see the devastation wreak havoc on their sister. They would choose to sail before his health declined so they would forever remember their loved ones as they always had been; happy and in perfect health.

But there was something comforting in the idea that Aragorn would not totally be abandoned in the end. Legolas would be there for him and would be by his side until his final days. Aragorn was not scared to die; he was condemned to that fate the moment he was born, but he was comforted by the idea that one of his brothers would not leave him.

What did scare him however, was thought of losing his brother early, either if Legolas sailed or faded.

The man struggled to bring his friend peace, and as the days dragged on, and the prince's health slowly became worse, he knew he could not keep the elf here if it would only cost him his life. Aragorn began to realize that the only way he could help his friend was to let him go. He dared not speak of this to anyone for he did not want to squash their hopes in the prince's recovery, but he told himself if he did not see any signs of improvement within a week, drastic measures would have to be taken. What they were yet, he did not know, but he was sure that whatever needed to happen, his brothers would back his decision.

Even so, Aragorn knew this was not his decision to make. Ultimately, Legolas had to be the one to choose what he did and that seemed to scare the man more. The man had practically grown up knowing of the elf's stubborn nature and hoped that the prince would not fight his own desires. Legolas was so willing to give up his life the night he was found and the heartbreaking words the elf spoke that night haunted the man.

Yet when Aragorn asked the elf if he desired to sail, the elf claimed he did not and for the sake of his own wishes, Aragorn believed him. The king hoped he was not living under false pretenses and the elf spoke the truth, but he could not comprehend how the elf could possibly be fading and yet have no desire to sail.

He needed to get to the true bottom of the elf's distress. He knew the violent acts against the prince was the source of it all and it devastated the light Elven heart. The horrible crimes committed against the Wood-elf were unspeakable among his kind and Aragorn feared as a mortal, he could not understand his friend's pain in the same depth that an elf might.

That terrified the man.

If he had any chance of helping Legolas, he needed to understand him, and if he simply could not understand?... The man felt lost at the idea.

The twins also took turns checking on Legolas and would make their way to his rooms after breakfast. Around noon, they would repeat the process of re-applying medications to the cuts and bruises, adding their own healing abilities to the prince's treatment. Like Aragorn, they too struggled with finding a cure for the emotional scars left on the once fair heart and felt helpless as they watched Legolas struggle internally.

They were beginning to see only two outcomes to this disaster; The price was already showing signs of fading and if they could not check the downward spiral early enough, they knew Legolas would not be long for this world. The only other option they could possible see for their friend was to get him to sail. However, with the winter months fast approaching, the next ships would not be able to leave until spring and the Noldor-elves honestly did not think the Wood-elf would last that long.

Even Arwen took some time to spend with the prince. She made it a point to keep their time light and casual and she never let on that anything was vastly out of the ordinary. To Legolas, he could see that she understood that he was hurting, both physically and mentally, but the reason for his pain seemed to be lost on her and for that, Legolas felt more at ease around the queen than he did with any of his other friends. Unlike the twins, his corruption was not so evident on him and while she did worry over him, he felt as though there was nothing to be ashamed of since knowledge of his defilement appeared to be unknown to Arwen. Of all his visitors, he actually found some enjoyment in Arwen's company and she always had some way to momentarily lift his heavy spirit.

Arwen hated to see the Wood-elf confined in his rooms and tried to put herself in his position; she knew she would go mad if she were stuck in a single room, even if it was by choice, and she was determined to make the blond elf as content in his rooms as possible. She would leave him books to keep his alone time occupied or would bring him a piece of the outside world from her garden walks. She would pick up autumn leaves that had unique shapes or colors and eagerly shared them with the prince, knowing that the Wood-elf naturally had a deeper appreciation for these tokens than any other race of elves.

On the occasion, Arwen, and sometimes even Aragorn, would bring Eldarion with them on their visits so tiny babe could visit with his extended Uncle. The child seemed to have a magic of his own and always brought joy to whomever was around him. Legolas was no exception. The elf marveled over how much the child had grown in what Elven terms seemed to be a short amount of time. Eldarion was already over a year old, but due to his mother's Elven heritage and his father's prolonged life due to his Dunedain lineage, he was not nearly as developed as a normal human would have been by now and was still very much so a newborn babe.

But though the child was still small, he had grown much by Elven standards and Legolas realized that time was a very massive changing factor to mortals. He began to reflect on the past sixty-or-so years he had known Aragorn. Being surrounded by mortals these past decades helped distort his immortal sense of time somewhat, and knew that their friendship had lasted a very long time, but the elf began to dread the near future.

Aragorn was a mortal and would one day follow the same path of his forefathers as death would claim him with the decay of time. Sure, Aragorn had about another one hundred years left to his life, maybe even more, but despite the skewed sense of time from his journeys with Aragorn along with the rangers of the north, and now living in a mortal world, Legolas still felt that fateful day was uncomfortably close as that one hundred years of Aragorn's life was still only a short passage of time to an elf.

And again, these thoughts began to plague the elf with more confusion. He knew he desired to sail and at the same time, he heard the wish within to stay. Aragorn did not have much time left in this world and Legolas wanted so bad to stay here and take advantage of every moment he had left with Aragorn.

However, he did not know if he was strong enough to see the passing of his friend either. He dreaded the man's death even though it was his destiny. And yet most of his wishes to leave had nothing to do with Aragorn, rather it dwelled on the dark memories of pain and trauma and drove the elf to desperation and depression. Legolas could not sort his feelings out and no matter what he thought he wanted, he feared of living in regret that no matter what his choice was, he would end up making a wrong one.

And that was assuming if the elf would be permitted to make that choice. Aragorn had been very clear that night in the cave, reminding Legolas that the he made a promise to the man and Aragorn expected the obligation be fulfilled. Again, this added to his sorrow and confusion as he didn't know if he was mad at the man for holding him to his word, or appreciated the fact that Aragorn had so much love and respect for him and truly could not live without his brother.

Legolas had never felt so lost in his life.

Though he was not a healer, Gimli did what he could to try and mend the elf's spirit and took it upon himself to spend time with the elf everyday in his chambers. His visits would last as long as they could and ended when he had to tend to other matters, or if the elf was showing signs of wanting to be left alone.

It was one bright day when Gimli was taking his usual time to sit with the prince when he finally decided to try and coax the elf back out into the world. Aragorn had been vigilant with making it clear that Legolas needed to take it easy and rest, but the stout being felt that the elf was out place in the closed chambers of the bleak stone room. While the prince was granted access to the balcony, he knew Legolas needed more and should be outside, spending time in a new place where he was not sitting and stewing in his emotional turmoil.

He began to formulate a plan as the two sat quietly, hardly speaking as was usual. A thought came to mind. He did not know if the elf would refuse the his idea, but it was worth a shot. Besides, he knew Legolas could be stubborn, but he was, after all, a dwarf and could put up a good case against the elf if he tried to deny his plans.

"Why don't we get out of here for a while? Ya' have been cooped up in these rooms for a long time now, I'm sure a change in scenery will do you some good."

The prince did not respond right away. He looked to the dwarf briefly to see what brought about this sudden plan, but the dwarf had an even calm about him. Legolas sat back in the chair and muddled over the idea. A small part of him wanted to get out the rooms, but any time he dared to even think about it lately, a gnawing fear kept him reserved in his wishes and the only place he felt safe was in his rooms.

"I do not know Gimli..."

"Oh come on, I'm sure you are sick of these rooms by now... I am, and I at least get a break from them! I think ya' need to be outside, and you need more than that little balcony." He nodded his head toward the glass double doors as a reference.

"Then where do you suggest we go?"

"Is there any place you would like to be? Is there another garden or a place where there are trees to talk to? Perhaps we can go to the library, or even the Hall of Fire."

The prince looked off and didn't say anything. The palace was littered with courtyards to try and add a softness to the stone kingdom, but every garden was the same; a small court that was lulled to sleep by the coming of winter and all of them were completely surrounded by stone walls as various rooms and halls had balconies to overlook the garden. While he had not been in one of these gardens since his return, the very thought of them reminded him of a cell; being trapped and people could watch your every move.

"Lad?" The dwarf asked as the prince seemed to drift off.

"Everything is the same around here... one garden looks like the next."

"Do you want to get out of the palace and head to the city? We could find-"

"No." the elf said the single word with a low sternness and halted the rest of the dwarf's thoughts on the idea immediately.

"Alright... it was just a thought. Let me think here...You know, those two brothers of Aragorn's are quite mischievous and they challenged me to a game of target shooting the other day. They claimed that I... *_Gimli Son-of-Gloin_*, could not outdo *_them_*. I have to admit, while they do not give up easily, they could not out best me and I quickly put them out of commission with my ax! And so it stands, I am still undefeated by an elf!" The dwarf had a smug grin on his face and let out a small chuckle.

He looked to Legolas and saw a brief moment of amusement stretch across the once lost features of the elf. A small threaded smile tugged at the corners of his lips and the elf let out a small snicker as a mental picture came to mind. The dwarf saw this drastic change in his companion's attitude and pressed on hoping to instill more of this good mood.

"But I would like to continue the contest with a worthy opponent. What do you say Laddie? Will you give me a true contest and let me put my skills to a real test?"

Again the elf did not say anything right away and seem to contemplate the idea. Gimli added a barb to his question, knowing his statement would provoke the elf and Legolas could not refuse the game, even if he had absolutely no interest in partaking.

"Do not tell me you are scared..."

The elf shot him a defiant look, it was more out of habit than anything and he wasn't even aware of his actions as the dwarf's words hit him in just the right way. Everyone seemed to tiptoe around him and this was the first time something felt normal, even if it was a challenge from the dwarf. Words flew out of his mouth part in curt reply and all in good fun.

"Scared? You mean the way you were when we made our way to the Paths of the Dead and you refused to enter?" The elf kept his face impassive, but quirked an eyebrow at the dwarf who seemed to be taken aback by the comment.

"I was not scared to enter it! I followed didn't I?"

"Yes... *_you_* had to follow after I made my way through and proved it was safe for little dwarves to enter." Legolas' voice was calm and cool as he further teased the dwarf.

Gimli clenched his jaw at the remark but he did it more for show than out of anger. He was glad to see a familiar spark in the prince, even if it was at his own humiliating expense.

"Those are fightin' words Lad! Do not be speaking them unless you are willing to step up to the challenge."

"I have stepped up and I accept your challenge. Do you need help stepping up to it yourself? My offer still stands, 'would like for me to find you a box?'"

Gimli's jaw dropped. "Lad, you are going to be in a world of hurt... I am going to get our weapons and I'll find a place to settle this once and for all. You had better be ready when I get back because I'm not going easy on you."

With that, the dwarf got to his feet and made his way to the door. He stopped in the threshold and turned back to the elf who was watching him and Gimli pointed a thick finger at the elf.

"You are going to pay for those words Lad..." and he walked out and pulled the door closed behind him.

As the door clicked shut, a large smile split across the dwarf's face. His plan had worked and he was relieved to see this change in his friend. He headed off to prepare for their contest.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Just to let you know, I have tried to connect my other story, The Search for Aragorn, to this one. The connection is not major so if you have not read it, no biggie. I have tried to explain the backstory briefly so you will not be lost.**_

* * *

Chapter 13

* * *

The elf and dwarf stood in a quad, eyeing the targets that were set up for their little game. Gimli chose a decent spot for the sport, deciding to keep the contest from most of the public view for the elf's comfort. The long courtyard just outside the king's stables provided a spacious area to hold the competition, giving the contenders an elongated alley at which they stood at one end and two hay-bale targets sat at the other. The target rings were made of no more than thin fabric and paint that was used for teaching children how to shoot a bow, but for the sake of their competition, it worked perfectly.

Gimli was near his pile of scrounged up hatchets and wood axes testing the individual weight of the sharp instruments he had found. While he had his mighty ax at his back, the handle was a bit long for throwing and preferred to use other weapons for the sake of ease. He held each blade to his eye as he peered down the sharp edge to make sure each blade was straight and there were no major dents in the sharp edge. While this was a friendly competition, he was still determined not to be outdone and wanted to account for every inaccuracy found in each tool to help him adjust to each difference.

Legolas watched as the dwarf tediously inspected each ax as he leaned on his long bow; One end resting in a crack in the stonework of the walkway and his hands were gathered at the top of the bow, gripping the smooth wood. While he was exhausted from lack of rest, it felt good to get a weapon in his hand again and the power he felt when he touched his own bow chased away much of the heartache and despair.

The dwarf took his time in his inspections and the elf did not mind it one bit. He had to admit, the dwarf was right and he needed to get out of his rooms more than he realized. While the courtyard was desolate and was composed of the same washed out stone as the rest of the kingdom, the surroundings did not feel heavy like his rooms did and he breathed the air that stirred in the golden afternoon sun. He closed his eyes and turned his face to the bright rays, feeling the warmth in the sunshine as it pierced its way through the chilled air and landed about him, warming him up. After a few moments, the elf began to get hot. He unclasped his cloak and hung it over the back of a nearby bench. Legolas welcomed the sensation of being hot as it was a massive improvement from previously being constantly cold and he stood in the sunlight soaking up every ounce of warmth it had to offer. The elf turned his ears to the sounds around him and heard the horses in the barn nearby, nickering and snorting to each other. A few barn wrens fluttered through the area chirping about as they searched for fallen oats and grains the horses or staff may have dropped.

Using his fingers, he combed his silky hair quickly to pull it back. Over the past few weeks, he made no attempt to care for it and let it hang loose. This was due mostly to the fact that his hand had been splinted from the cut he received from the mirror. The wound mended slowly, but nicely thanks to the continued healing efforts of his friends and only a faint pink line was noticeable as the deep tissue furthered its repair. He could feel a slight discomfort from the old injury when he drastically flexed his hand, but since the wound was so deep, it would still take some more time for it to be completely restored. He pulled the crown of his hair back and tied it off with a thin leather cord, not bothering to add any braids to his appearance.

The elf looked to the castle walls behind them and peered into the grand arching windows of the palace as it overlooked the courtyard. No one was in the windows and he was glad for it. While he was pleased to be out and about, he still could not shake the self-conscious feeling of others watching him and he found a bit of relief that he and Gimli were the only ones around and not the center of everyone's attention.

Legolas made his way casually to the bundles of arrows that Gimli gathered for him and he picked through the items until he found his quiver. He shrugged through the straps of the halter and adjusted the buckle so that the quiver rested comfortably against his back. He reached his hand over his head to stretch out his unused muscles and his fingers brushed against the smooth handles of his knives that were stored securely at his back. The prince smiled to himself as a deep feeling of normalcy overcame him. The sorrow tried to bubble up from time to time, but here he was able to push past it for the moment and ignored it.

"Are ya' ready to lose Legolas?" Gimli interrupted the silence as he flipped a small hatchet in the air a few times and catching the handle in his hand. His thick voice echoed slightly off the rock walls in the near empty court.

"Lose? I think not." The elf stepped up to his companion and gave the dwarf a cocky smile.

"I am not givin' up my status... I have not been beaten by an elf and I do not plan on letting that happen today."

"The only reason you have not been defeated by an elf is because you cheated." The elf said offhandedly as he tested his bow's string, pulling it back as he spoke and lined up his sights casually through the routine exercise. Legolas smiled to himself as the dwarf defended himself against the accusations.

"I never cheated! You cheated!" He pointed a small hatchet at the elf to emphasize his words.

"Did I? I recall several accounts where I was able to take out multiple foes with one shot, but you only counted it as one. If you had been keeping an accurate score-"

"You took one shot! Therefore, it counted as one! Besides, you had no objections to th' rules-"

"What rules?! We never agreed upon a set of standard rules! *_You*_ made them up as you went along!" The elf dropped the bow to his side and stared at the dwarf with a bemused smile.

"Well ya' didn't dispute it, so I went with it, as did you. I kept my score th' same way, one swing meant one mark ta' my score."

"One swing of your ax to take out one orc, yet one arrow cutting the rope that hoisted ladders full of thirty or more on its rungs, causing them to fall to their deaths only counts as one... I think, Gimli, that if it were a true one-for-one count, you would have been sorely beaten and you would have lost your status years ago."

"Well Laddie, that isn't how things went down, now was it? Why don't ya' put your pride where your mouth is because I'm going to make you eat your words."

"Then I suppose it is a good thing elves do not need to eat like dwarves do as I will be going hungry tonight."

"Ya' can't beat me and ya' know it! And being as I feel bad for beating you *_fair-and-square*_ during the battles, you may take th' first shot." The dwarf held his hand out and swept it towards the target, giving the elf a clear view of the objects as he stepped back.

Legolas smirked. He took up his stance and reached over head to grab an arrow. He placed the notch of the arrow to the string and pulled his bow back, hearing the familiar creak in the wood as the string was pulled taught. He sighted on the target, but through his right eye, the tip of the arrow fluttered about slightly. He took a deep breath to try and calm the shaking in his limbs, but to no avail. A dull feeling began to creep up and the elf let the tension off the bow for a moment, passing his hand over his face.

"You alright Laddie?"

The elf just sighed. Something was wrong, but he dare not admit it to anyone. "I am fine... I am just picturing how this will go down and the look of disappointment on your face."

The dwarf just let out a mighty laugh at the comment and stepped back as the elf re-notched the bow and pulled it back. The shaking was still there but did the best he could around it and locked his sights onto the very center of the red circle that marked the bull's-eye. After a few unusual moments of lining his sights up, he let the arrow fly.

The arrow sung as it flew through the air and embedded itself deep in the target.

"Not bad for a pointy-ear! Nice shot Lad!" The dwarf said enthusiastically.

The elf frowned. While he did hit the bull's-eye, the shot did not go dead center and bordered on the yellow ring. He was not pleased and eyed the target with subtle disappointment. He took a few steps back as the dwarf stepped up to take his turn.

Gimli took up his stance and gripped the lower end of the handle to a wood ax. He hoisted it over his head and placed one foot out in front of him. He squinted his eyes as his sights locked on the target and the dwarf absorbed himself in focus. The only thing he saw was the red center and no noise reached his ears. He could feel the odd sensation of the calculated distance between himself and the target. He noted the weight of the ax in his hands, but the heaviness was not picked up by the stout being as his concentration on the target deepened. The dwarf moved suddenly and quickly as he flung the ax end over end. The sturdy tool struck the target's center with a heavy thunk.

"Ha! One for one!" The dwarf said as he ran down the alley to the targets and pulled his ax out and retrieved the elf's arrow.

Upon his return, Gimli handed the undamaged arrow to the elf who took it and placed it back to his bow string. As he pulled the string back, he could feel the shaking in his limbs again and he sighted quickly on the target and let the arrow fly. It sprang forward and hit the target in much the same spot, only this time, the arrow landed in the yellow. The elf pursed his lips in frustration.

"Ah! Well, will ya' lookie there? Just a wee bit off ain't ya'?" The dwarf badgered Legolas as he walked up ready for his turn. This time he had a small hatchet in his hand and after he took a few moments to find just the right throwing angle, the hatchet was thrown into the target.

The elf turned a smug grin to the dwarf as the hatchet hit the yellow ring too. Legolas spoke boldly in the same manner the dwarf did as he mocked Gimli's word earlier.

"Will ya' lookie there? Just a wee bit off ain't ya'?" Legolas turned to look at the target, scrutinizing over their accuracy so far.

"It was a new hatchet! I wasn't used to it!"

The elf rolled his eyes playfully. "Sure Gimli, If you do claim it is…."

He began to walk off down the alley to gather the last batch of weapons that were hurled at the targets. As he walked, the odd feeling came back to him and he began to feel a bit lightheaded, but he pushed onward. The feeling passed quickly so he made it to the targets in a hurry and grabbed both his arrow and the dwarf's hatchet. As he walked up the alley, he heard voices as someone new entered the courtyard.

"Well, what do we have here? Practicing are we?"

"See, that is not fair! We did not practice before our little game and yet here you are, brushing up on your skills!"

Legolas shook his head in amusement as he heard the Noldor twins pester the dwarf.

"No, I am in th' middle of proving my skills against another elf who has yet ta' beat me!" Gimli spoke the words a bit louder than necessary to make sure Legolas heard him from the other end of the alley.

The twins stepped forward and poked their heads out to the stone aisle and saw the prince walking back towards them.

"Legolas?"

As the blond elf approached them, he could see concern in their gaze as they looked over him. They had been siding with Aragorn on the taking-it-easy verdict and they were not exactly thrilled to find the prince out here while his health was on the decline. He kept his sights away from their eyes, instead looking at the Gondorian clothing the twins were wearing. He thought it was odd that they were dressed like soldiers of the human kingdom, but he did not question it as he brushed past them and handed the dwarf the hatchet.

"_Mae Govannen. _(well met)" He greeted the twins.

"_What are you doing out here?_" Elladan asked back in the gray tongue. He tried to keep the disapproval from his voice as he noted a light calm about the prince, an obvious improvement from previous weeks.

"_Showing_ Gimli _where_ _his proper place is_." Legolas notched the arrow and sent it flying to the targets. This time, his shot was deadly accurate and it more-or-less struck the center of the target. He turned a hard, confident smile to the dwarf who grumbled at the perfect shot.

"How many times do I have to tell ya'? Speak words we can all understand!" He growled as he took Legolas' place and unstrapped his iconic double edged ax. He threw the massive weapon at the target and it landed solidly in the hay-bale. He triumphantly looked to the elf as he gained his side and nudged Legolas with his elbow.

"Eehh! Again, one for one!"

"One for one?! Surely you must be joking!" Legolas watched the dwarf as the stout being did a double take of the targets.

"No! Look, I hit th' center..."

"Gimli!" Legolas reproached. "Look at it! The head of that ax is nearly the size of the first three rings! You are touching all three of them, not just the center! How can you tell that you hit the mark?!"

"Because I did!"

"You may have hit it, but you have also hit everything else! You cannot account for accuracy!"

"And? I'm still hittin' the target, aren't I?!" The dwarf smiled as the elf squirmed with this notion of not being fair.

"Yes, as am I! But size matters and one inch is a lot! You can be off one inch and still hit the target with that large blade. I can be off by an inch and... well... still be off by an inch!"

"You speak as though you're worried that you're goin' to lose. I thought you were known for your exceptional accuracy. Perhaps ya' do have the best shot when you are a pampered-princeling. But now that you're faced with real skill, you're getting up in arms over the details of fairness. If you're as good a shot as you claim ta' be, you wouldn't need fairness, now would you?"

Legolas' jaw dropped and he turned to the twins. They were trying to keep their laughter quiet, but tears were forming in their eyes with the effort to suppress their mirth and they squirmed to try and keep silent.

"Gimli, you wanted a competition, so there has to be some fairness! This is not a battlefield where a dwarf can simply make the rules and call the shots at his own will, especially to make himself look better!"

While the elf was enjoying the contest, his argumentativeness came through. If the dwarf was to beat him, so be it; Legolas knew Gimli was a skilled fighter and if he lost, then he would accept it with the understanding that he lost fair and square. However, the prince would not take losing easily if he was at an unfair advantage, even if this was just in good fun.

"Well, that's the weapon I'm using-"

"Just that one?" Legolas interrupted "No! Last shot, you used a hatchet and before that it was a wood-ax! You are changing your weapons on a whim! You were not using that oliphant-of-a-weapon before!"

The prince was actually laughing at the absolute stupidity of their argument and the dwarf let out a small chuckle as well. This was the attitude in Legolas he had been trying to get back for so long and was deeply relieved that the elf was acting, and looking, a lot more like himself.

"I never set any rules about not changing weapons Laddie! You're sticking to your bow as that is the only thing you *_elves_* seem to be able to aim with. If ya' had other means to take the shot, then you could change just as I have."

"Oh, is that so?" The elf's laughter abated and he cocked his head slightly. He stood tall and proud, squaring off his shoulders as he felt himself being challenged further.

Without a word, Legolas handed Gimli his bow to free up his hands while he stepped forward to take up a new position. He reached over his head, grabbing one of his knives and placed the blade between his thumb and forefinger. He looked to the target and eyed the center before he drew his hand back and threw it forward. With a flick of the wrist, the blade slipped from his fingers, sending the long dagger twirling through the air at the hay-bales. The Elven blade struck the target and sank into the straw, hilt-deep, at the far edge of the target, missing all of the rings completely.

Legolas glared at the dwarf. While he missed the range, he looked proud of his shot.

"And that was only my first attempt. Give me a few more shots and I can assure you my accuracy will improve, *_dwarf_*..." Legolas called Gimli by the familiar slur. While the prince spoke, he smiled, even if it was a bit cocky, letting Gimli know he was still only teasing.

Gimli sucked on his teeth for a moment. "I'll start getting worried if ya' do become accurate. But after that shot, I don't think I have much to worry about. That that was a piss-poor shot…. Even for an elf."

Legolas looked dumbfounded after the remark and turned to the twins. "Is this what you two had to deal with?" He asked. He needed validation that he was not overreacting and that the dwarf was, in fact, being quite ridiculous.

"Aye! It is!" Elrohir chuckled.

"No wonder he claims you lost..." Legolas mumbled as he took his bow back from the dwarf. The words were spoken more so to himself, but everyone heard it regardless.

"That's because they did lose!" The dwarf said and headed off to get the weapons.

"He is unbelievable..." Legolas said.

"Isn't that the truth?" Elladan chimed in. "Mind if we join you? Now that we have a witness to the ways of the dwarf, I would very much so like a rematch." The twins straightened up. Elladan went to the pile of weapons and sorted through the bundles of arrows, grabbing a quiver and bow to use.

Elrohir stepped up beside the prince and he watched the blond elf with a hint of worry. He knew Legolas was not in good health and feared for him pushing himself too much too fast. While it was a relief to find the prince out here and finally joking among friends, he did not want Legolas to expend all of his strength proving a worthless point to the dwarf. He gained the prince's side and spoke quietly to him to make sure the Wood-elf was in the right mindset to be out here.

"How are you feeling Legolas? Are you alright?" He asked lightly.

Legolas sobered quickly as he glanced to the twin. There was a familiar look in his eyes and again, Legolas felt as though the younger twin knew what had happened. Despite Legolas' merry mood and laughter in the courtyard, Elrohir seemed able to see right through his facade and his shame was all too apparent. The prince dropped his gaze and studied the cracks in the stone walk. The self-consciousness came back and he shifted uncomfortably.

"I am fine 'Ro." He said as he lifted his head to watch the dwarf remove the ax from the target, followed by the arrow and the prince's blade.

Elrohir nodded slightly. He did not want to halt the fun, but the deep seated worry kept him cautious. "Ok. Just... please take it easy." He gave Legolas' shoulder a small pat before he left to join his brother in picking out a weapon of his own.

And just like that, the depression in the prince surged forward. He took a deep breath to try and push his way past it, but the feeling was so thick after getting a break from it that his chest began to ache.

The dwarf made his way back up the alley and held out the elf's knife and arrow for Legolas to take.

"To be honest Lad, my shot didn't go through the very center of th' bull's-eye. It was off by just a hair an' your arrow was closer... Since I feel bad for ya' with your terrible shots, I'll give you the mark. You clearly need it." The dwarf continued the playful banter and said it with the best intentions, but the elf snatched the arrow out of the dwarf's hands at the remark.

Legolas did not want anyone to feel bad for him. He didn't want anyone's pity and he was so sick of his emotions claiming him and his situation being discussed and dwelled upon. He was frustrated with himself that the twins probably knew of his defilement and they seemed to know just by looking at him and no amount of covering up, whether it be his body or his emotions, could hide his filth and shame. He felt let down and vulnerable that it was easy for everyone to see what he was trying so hard to hide. Everyone in the court must know of his humiliation and he could not stand the thought of it.

The dwarf backed up as he noted the change in his friend's attitude and quickly backtracked his conversation trying to think if he said anything wrong. The elf was fine just a moment ago, and now he was back in his closed off, sour mood and the dwarf stammered for a way to calm the elf down.

Legolas stalked past him with a clenched jaw. He took up his place, putting the arrow to the string and fired it off. His hands were shaking and it added to his frustrations. He had no control over his body... he didn't then, he doesn't now…

Legolas snapped.

He reached behind his back and grabbed another arrow, firing it off and sinking it right beside the first one. Again he reached back for another arrow and shot it, followed another and another. The arrows were flying down the alley until the price's limbs were shaking so hard he could not safely fire the bow any longer. His quiver was nearly empty and he dropped his hands to his side while he panted for a moment to let the haze of his frustrations dissipate. His eyes were burning and he blinked rapidly to keep the tears back.

Gimli froze as the elf exploded into a frenzy and once he stopped, the dwarf approached him cautiously. He wanted to diffuse the anger and said the only thing he could think to say.

"Lad?... uh... that... that still only counts as one..." He said calmly.

Legolas kept the dwarf at his back as he took a moment to collect his composure, but oddly, he laughed despite himself.

"I know." He said. The prince's voice was thick and rough and he swiped at the few drops of moisture that were able to escape his eyes.

Elladan approached after the melee of arrows were fired and looked at the target that resembled a porcupine with all of the arrows sticking out of it. He turned to the dwarf.

"I would like to see you out do that!" He pointed to the target before he headed off to clear it of the protruding shafts. He assumed that the firing was to try and massively out do the dwarf and did not note the change between the two.

Elrohir finished rummaging through the extra arrows and had no luck finding a spare bow.

"I will be heading to the armory to get a bow so we can join you." He announced.

Legolas took a deep breath and made his face impassive before he turned to the younger twin and pressed his Lothlorien longbow into the Noldor-elf's hands.

"Here... use mine." Legolas fumbled with his quiver's buckles, practically tearing at it as he hastily removed his case of arrows. The prince passed it to a shocked and speechless Elrohir while he stepped past him.

"What are-"

"I... I am done. I-I do not want to do this anymore." The prince stammered quickly as he walked towards the palace with no plan of where he was heading.

Elrohir took a step towards Legolas to stop him, but Gimli stuck his arm out, catching Elrohir by the chest. Elrohir looked down sharply to the dwarf, but Gimli shook his head before the dwarf took it upon himself to go after Legolas. The twin backed up to give Gimli a chance to speak with the Wood-elf. He had succeeded in getting Legolas out here, he might be the only one to calm him down. He made his way to his brother to help him pull arrows out of the hay-bale.

Gimli ran and cut Legolas' path off to stand tall and firm in the elf's way. The prince pulled up short.

"Lad, I'm sorry if I said anythin' to upset you."

"You did not say anything Gimli. I... I just want to leave."

"And go where?"

"I do not know."

"Legolas..." He reached out and grabbed the elf as he tried to brush past him. "Lad, just stay out here for a while an' calm down."

"I do not want to be here." He was getting a little frustrated and the fact that he was prevented from leaving made the trapped feeling come back to mix with the other emotions running wildly through him.

"Laddie..." He quirked and all too knowing eyebrow at the elf "...Ya' don't' want to be anywhere…. And I know you will just end up back in your rooms. I don't think you should be back there just yet. Come; sit out here with us. Ya' don't need to continue with this-" he nodded toward the targets. "An' if ya' don't want to talk, that's fine too, but just take a few moments."

Legolas took in a deep breath again and looked to the dwarf who had a blank unreadable expression upon his face. Gimli stood there, squared off, proving that he was firm in his mindset that the elf should not be anywhere but here.

"Come on, let's have a seat." The dwarf said and guided the elf to the bench and sat down beside him. They watched as the last of the arrows were plucked from the targets and the twins made their way back toward them.

"Alright Master Gimli!" Elladan called out. "What are your rules for this? We are going to join you!"

"You two go on ahead. I think we'll sit out for a little bit."

Elladan glanced skeptically between Legolas and Gimli, but Elrohir interjected and steered his identical brother towards the area designated for shooting. They leaned in close to each other to speak a few words quietly.

Gimli glanced at Legolas who was sitting next to him and watched as the elf took a silent, but deep breath. Something was bothering the prince.

"What's going on with ya'?" The dwarf asked quietly. He kept his voice casual as he leaned over his knees, grabbing a piece of straw that was on the ground and he began to fidget with it absently.

"I do not know." The prince crossed his arms and kept his eyes on the twins as they began shooting at the targets and joked between the two of them.

"What happened back there?"

The prince flashed his sights to the dwarf, but looked back to the twins. "I really do not want to discuss it Gimli." The prince murmured.

"Fair enough."

They sat on the bench not speaking and the dwarf felt as though they were back in the prince's rooms. It unsettled Gimli at how fast the elf's mood changed and was disappointed with how closed off Legolas instantly became. He thought he was making progress with the elf, but it all came to a grinding halt just a few moments ago. He felt like he was back at square one and was at a loss on what to do. He watched as the prince chewed his lip lightly. Legolas kept his attention on the twins, but the dwarf could tell he did not see them, he was somewhere else in his mind.

Legolas felt eyes on him and he turned to the dwarf and noticed he was watching him.

"What?" The prince asked.

"I'm just watchin' you. I'm worried about you."

Legolas rolled his eyes and huffed. "I do not need everyone to worry over me. I am fine." His voice was a bit frosty as he felt his ire begin to rise.

"Alright Laddie! There's no need to be gettin' upset. You can't control how others feel about ya'. Our feelings are our own an' you asked what I was feeling so I told you. Simply telling me not to worry over ya' is not goin' to keep me, nor anyone, from doing so. You should feel lucky an' honored that ya' have such a close group of friends an' family who care for you an' want nothing but the best for you."

The piece of straw the dwarf was picking at was now bent and frayed and Gimli flicked it to the ground.

"If ya' want to be left alone then fine, I'll leave ya' to yourself, but I will hold firm in my beliefs that you need to stay out here. Going back to your rooms is only going to make whatever you are feeling worse. Alright?"

The elf pushed his lips into a thin line and looked off.

"I take your lack of dispute as a yes." The dwarf stood to his feet. "I'll be making a sorry sight outta' those two for a second time." He pointed to the twins. "You are welcome to join us at anytime if you wish."

Legolas just nodded his head and the dwarf walked off to join the Noldor-elves. He watched as the games resumed with no real interest. As the time went by, his comfortable bench in the sun was soon cloaked in shadows as the sun traveled closer to the western horizon and the city walls blocked the warm light. The prince began to feel the chill again and he grabbed his cloak and wrapped it snugly about him. The stone bench was soon becoming cool under him and the cold was beginning to seep into his body. He stood to his feet and walked to a sunny spot a few paces away and resumed watching the contest.

As he stood in the sun, the dull lightheaded feeling came back and he passed his hand over his face again. His energy drastically decreased, leaving the elf completely drained at the standing felt like it was a chore. He wanted to sit down, but there was no place to and he really didn't feel like he had the stamina to walk about in search of a new seat.

After hearing the dwarf speak, he no longer had any desire to be back in his rooms and yet he did not truly want to be here either. There really was no place to go, but rather than feel trapped, he felt abandoned. He couldn't explain it, even to himself, but he longed to be somewhere that he was not allowed to be. Where that somewhere was, he couldn't discern and the elf felt confused and jumbled up inside.

There was a loud cheer from the twins as they celebrated a victorious shot against the dwarf and the prince looked up to find the three in good company having a grand time.

The loneliness inside deepened again, which only added to his confusion. He wanted to be left alone... didn't he? Yet seeing his friends having fun and being at peace made him want to be a part of it.

There was another triumphant hoot as the dwarf apparently did better with his turn and the prince looked away. He did not want to be part of that and drag them down. They were happy and having a great time without him and his worries there.

The large barn to the royal stables lined most of the alley that was currently converted into a shooting range. Doors of the stables were open for the day giving the elf a glimpse of the darkened interior. There was something appealing to this sight and the elf felt an urge to go inside. He looked to his friends who were occupied with the game. Legolas gathered his strength and pushed himself to move quietly, casually making his way to the grand structure and walked inside.

He strolled through the wide aisles of the fancy barn, but stuck close to the walls for support. His limbs felt a bit shaky and from time to time his stability would suddenly be compromised. He ran his hand along the cool stone walls and brick work, catching himself and leaning against the firm surfaces occasionally at the slightest feel of imbalance.

The stables looked to be very similar to the inside of the palace as the barn was also composed mostly of white rock rather than wood. It was kept very tidy being that they were the royal stables and despite it being a place for horses, not a trace of unwanted dirt was to be seen. There were many stone pillars in the barn that served two purposes; they held up the shingled roof and braced the brick dividers that created the individual stalls for each horse. At every stone column hung a Gondorian banner from long wooden poles driven into the rock. The repetitive symbol of the white tree and stars lined the barn high above and swayed ever so slightly with any breeze that found its way in through the cracks of the closed wooden windows. Each sill was lined in bright light as the afternoon sun beat down on the windows and made its way through the crevices in the wooden shutters. The target competition could be heard on the other side of the windows and from time to time, a whistling arrow would sound through the alley followed by a cheer.

Most of the stalls were occupied by horses, which was unusual. However, Legolas vaguely remembered hearing Aragorn talk of the Last Harvest Feast that was only a few days away. Company was beginning to arrive for the festivities and the guest's horses were stored wherever they could be placed at this busy time.

Most of the horses paid little attention to the elf as he moseyed down the lanes. A few of them poked their heads out and pushed their noses to his chest and waist, knowing that their master's pockets were normally in those locations and they snuffed the elf's clothing trying to detect treats that might be hidden. He gave each mighty head a fond pat as he passed, making his way further into the barn.

At the end of the stables there was an unusually large alcove, almost like an indoor riding ring, and a dark stallion was inside prancing about. It looked as though it was taunting the other horses with the fact that he had so much room to run around and the others were in small cells. The elf didn't have to read the name plaque to know this horse, as Brego's strong free spirit could not be confused with any other horse.

Legolas stepped up to the stall and rested his arms on the stone ledge at chest level that created the borders of the horse's pen. He watched the stallion throw his head about and snorted, telling all of the other foreign hoses that this was his territory and he was in charge.

The horse caught sight of the elf and trotted over to him while he dipped his head from time to time. The horse lifted his head and passed his nose over the elf's arm, taking in his scent and recognizing him instantly. The horse grumbled slightly as if to greet the elf that was watching him.

"_Pleasure seeing you,_ Brego." The elf said to the horse fondly.

Brego let out a snort and the elf gave off a light smile as the horse took some time to speak with him.

"_And what is all this fuss about?_"

The horse shook his black mane and whinnied softly answering the elf's question. Another horse grew curious after it heard the Elvish words and poked its tan-colored head over the divider next to Brego's stall.

Brego pushed his ears back. He turned his head to the tan horse and it quickly flipped its head over the low stall wall as the mighty dark-brown stallion was able to put the other horse in its place with just a look.

The elf smiled with amusement as Brego defended his space and kept the other horses in check.

"_You certainly are keeping everyone in their place, aren't you?_"

The horse lifted its head tall and proud, displaying his magnificent might and size, proving he was the one in charge here.

The elf looked over the animal and admired him. He was a beautiful horse and so full of personality and charisma. Aragorn was a fortunate man to have a steed like this, but the elf became puzzled as he looked at the horse. He remembered years ago when they first encounter Brego; Aragorn had set the animal free in Rohan after realizing the noble steed had seen too much war. But then the elf found him snared in the riverbed and teamed up with him in order to find the missing man when he fell into the river. Brego brought Aragorn safely to Helms Deep and continued to carry Aragorn through the rest of the war. Once Mordor was destroyed and things began to settle down, the man tried to see to the horse's wishes and set Brego free again. The horse denied the freedom and chose a life of service to the man rather than run wild.

The elf rested his head on his arms as his tiredness increased a notch. He continued to watch the horse as the stallion made his way around the borders of his stall, checking on the other horses to make sure they were still acting to his accordance.

It was strange to the elf that this strong horse chose this life. After longing to be free, bearing witness to the hardships of all of the wars, and losing his previous master, Theodred, when the noble stallion was given the chance for a free life, he refused it.

Legolas suddenly felt weak. Both he and the horse faced traumatizing hardships yet the horse seemed to thrive and he himself was only scraping by. The prince would have given anything to be free and have his heart get what it wanted so it could be light, strong, and whole.

A single tear slid down Legolas' face but he was so drained and it felt like would take too much energy to wipe it away. Besides, there was no one here to see it anyway so he left it alone and felt the soft trickle slide down his cheek and it fell to the sleeve of his shirt that was tucked under his chin.

The horse perked his ears at seeing something strange on the elf's face and he made his way over to the Elda. He pushed his nose out and the elf opened his hand to caress the velvety muzzle.

The horse jerked his head back. The sensitive animal could feel the elf's sorrow within the light contact and it was not a feeling the horse understood. Brego flattened his ears as he regarded the elf and the horse nickered. He knew a few two-legged-being emotions; fear and courage, for those were constant in battle. Excitement, and happiness were also able to be picked up by the horse. He knew sadness as well, but what he felt in the elf was an intense, sharp feeling of this emotion and the horse did not like it. Brego shook his mane and pawed the ground with his forehoof.

"_I do not know why I am so sad Brego…_" the elf whispered and another tear left his eyes.

The horse grumbled and took a few steps toward Legolas, lifting his head over the wall and hooked his head over the elf's shoulders. He had seen this gesture among the two-leggers when someone was in this state and while he had no desires to help humans, other than Aragorn, elves were different. Brego pulled Legolas against his neck, doing the best he could to give the prince a warm embrace.

Legolas was taken aback briefly, but rather than fight it, the prince allowed the contact. Since the horse did not know what happened, he didn't feel embarrassed and he tentatively wrapped his arms around the horse's broad neck taking in the comfort he was offered freely. He rested his head against the horse for a moment and Brego kept his stance still and his connection open to the elf.

A few more tears fell from Legolas' blue eyes but that was about all the elf seemed able to spare. It was odd, but the drained feeling was slowly becoming worse and he didn't even have energy to cry despite the emotions inside. Part of him was glad for it as he had had enough of the pitiful emotions and though he did not feel well, he was glad it kept his emotions in check. He rested against the horse, trying to draw some strength from him as he normally would do with nature. His fingers combed through the coarse black hair of the horse's mane and absently picked at the knots that snared his fingers.

All was quiet and the elf noted that the sounds from the tournament had stopped. There was no talking nor laughter and Legolas drew back from Brego. He passed his sleeve over his face quickly to absorb any traces of moisture.

The horse cocked his ears as the elf composed himself. The elf reached out suddenly, gripping the stable wall lightly as he waivered on his feet. There was something else off about the elf and Brego could pick up on it. He placed his nose to the elf's stomach, giving Legolas a firm nudge as the horse snorted.

"_I know... I am doing what I can my friend. I just have not been hungry lately._" The elf wrapped his arms around his stomach to try and hide it and block the horse from further tapping into his lack of appetite.

Again the horse pulled his ears back and looked to the elf and Brego grumbled slightly.

"_You sound just like Aragorn! I will be alright. Thank you though._" The elf whispered and placed his hand on the horse's forehead.

Brego perked his ears and raised his head over the elf and stared down the long hall of the barn. His liquid black eyes were searching the darkened hall as he picked up on noises coming from the other end. Both the horse and elf listened to the tromping footsteps as Gimli made his way through the barn.

"Legolas? Are ya' in here Laddie?" the dwarf called out.

Brego took a few steps back and let out a sharp cry. Though the dwarf could not understand the horse, and Brego was keen on this fact, the noble steed answered the dwarf's call to get his attention.

Legolas turned and called out the dwarf. "I am over here Gimli."

The dwarf made his way to Legolas who smiled to his friend as he approached. Before Gimli could talk, the elf inquired about the contest.

"Who won?" Legolas asked.

"Ehh, no one. We were competing, but we lost interest fast. The brothers are going ta' work on some new skill and left to go get what they need. They'll be back shortly. I didn't see you out there and thought you had gone back to your rooms."

"Well, I did not." the elf said matter-of-factly and he looked to Brego who was back to his patrols, checking over the horses nearest to his stall.

"Why don't ya' tell me what's going on? I know something's botherin' you and I didn't want to press with the other elves there. But you were fine one moment an' then, faster than one of your arrows, you were back to this."

"Gimli..." The elf's voice held an edge of warning. He had already expressed his wishes not to talk about this.

"Lad, there's something wrong and I want ta' get to the bottom of it. Surely you don't want to mope around any longer, humm?" He asked.

The elf clenched his jaw and straightened his posture to try and deny he was 'moping'. That statement aggravated Legolas and it shifted the elf's attitude.

"Fine... what's wrong is everyone insists on talking about it and I do not! If everyone would just keep their mouths shut and stop harping over what happened, then perhaps I could find some peace!" His anger was clear in his voice and it wavered slightly.

Gimli understood the elf's distress, but he knew that keeping everything bottled up, as Legolas was doing, was not going to help. "Legolas, ya' know... the sun never shines behind closed doors. You-"

"Perhaps I do not want the doors open!" Legolas snapped his reply, cutting off the rest of what Gimli had to say. "Doors serve the purpose to keep people out! This is my business, not anyone else's and I would appreciate it if you, and everyone else, would keep their noses out of it!" The elf pushed himself away from the stall and walked down the aisle to get out of the barn and the dwarf followed him.

Gimli felt a spark against his stubbornness. He was irked at having been talked to like this, but he kept his cool. He reminded himself that Legolas was hurting on the inside and it was the pain speaking, not his friend.

"It is our business if it is affecting you this greatly." The dwarf said and stopped dead in his tracks as Legolas whirled around and bore daggers into the dwarf with his glare. Gimli crossed his arms across his chest and landed an even stare on the elf and continued to speak. "Ultimately, what affects you will affect us." Gimli would not back down.

Legolas let out another exasperated huff. "So it is about everyone else, is it? The one who is suffering can continue to suffer so long as *_everyone else_* is ok and they get what they want out of me only to make their predicaments better!"

Legolas' words were laced with venom. The elf was seething with anger and he balled his fists at his side. No one would listen to him and he was constantly being pushed. He felt like a cornered animal and after all attempts to get away had failed, he was ready to exert physical force. Gimli watched out of the corner of his eyes as the elf curled his fingers tightly.

"Legolas, you're twisting my words. That's not what I meant." The dwarf spoke calmly despite his screaming instincts, warning him that the elf was going to lash out. Gimli was preparing himself for the elf to strike him and watched every move the elf made as Legolas infuriatingly tensed up. The dwarf was ready to block any blows and he shifted his stance as the prince drew his fist back.

But Legolas held enough restraint and kept his hands from flying. He brought his wrists to the sides of his head near his pointed ears and locked his fingers together behind his head. His arms briefly curled around his face to try and hide his extreme irritation as his heaving breath came in angry gasps. The elf was incensed beyond reason and he could no longer contain his anger. In a swift movement, he drew his clenched fist back again, but turned on his heels at the last possible moment, striking out at a wooden door that closed off one of the horse stalls. The strong punch left a shallow dent in the sturdy wood and a crack resounded in the stone barn.

A flashback consumed the prince and he could see his fist flying into a distorted picture of himself as he stood in a bathroom, looking at his own horrifically beaten reflection.

Legolas' scowl deepened and he tore himself from his place and began to walk back out of the barn. Gimli rushed forward and grabbed the elf by the elbow and the elf swiveled quickly to face the dwarf.

Gimli saw the swiftness in the elf's movements and the dwarf raised his forearm to block the punch he would be receiving from the irate elf.

Legolas' enraged expression softened quickly as the dwarf tensed up. He was disgusted with himself for his sudden tantrum and saw how his actions had lead his friend to believe he would strike him.

Legolas was completely aware of his own intense temper, even though it scarcely came out. He had inherited this nature from his father, but he was able to find more self discipline with his outbursts than Thranduil. The Woodland King's attitude was no secret and he rarely physically lashed out on others as well. But, if the Elf King was provoked and pushed to that point, Thranduil's self control would be compromised and it was never a surprise if the Woodland King occasionally lost himself in rage. Legolas on the other hand would never hit someone out of self frustration, especially a close friend. However, inanimate objects were another matter and Legolas took in a shaky breath to quell the attitude-fueled adrenaline.

"I am not going to hit you Gimli." Legolas' tone was low and lethal as the residue of his anger lingered, but the sharpness in his voice was gone. Gimli lowered his arm once he knew the elf was not going to harm him.

As the dwarf relaxed, Legolas snatched his arm out of the firm grasp but made no other move and he stood in the hall with the dwarf as he made himself calm down.

"Gimli… I am sorry." the elf mumbled after a few tense moments and the smog of his anger began to lift. The dwarf held up a hand to halt the elf.

"There's no need for that. No harm was done." After the dwarf witnessed a side of his friend he had never seen, he was not willing to push his luck only to have the elf get wound up like that again. If he continued, he was unsure if the prince would be able to control his actions, no matter how much discipline Legolas seemed to display. If Gimli continued to push, the dwarf was sure that he would regret it. There were other days to try and break through the elf's impassive wall and the dwarf let everything drop.

"Do ya' want to head back in?" The dwarf caved on his original stance on the matter and wanted to give the elf anything he wanted. "I'll gladly go with ya' if you want to leave." Gimli could not find it in him to leave the elf alone after those last few heated moments. He would let Legolas have his way - to an extent.

"No. You… were right Gimli. I do not need to be back in that cell of a room..." He quietly admitted. He could not bring himself to look upon the dwarf as he reflected over what had just transpired. He pressed his back against a wall and leaned on it.

"Alright, just tell me what ya' want. What do you need Laddie?"

The prince quickly answered the dwarf's question but his voice was nothing more than a barely audible whisper.

"I want to go home." Even as Legolas spoke, the elf looked a bit surprised by his words and turned his head quickly. He could not believe he had just said that.

"What was that?" Gimli asked the elf to repeat his words. All he heard was a slight mumble and could not decipher what the elf had said.

"Nothing... nevermind." He was glad Gimli did not hear what he said. He made a mental note that he needed to keep a tighter hold on his words and actions. This was getting out of control.

"Well then at least let us leave this place. Come on, let's go outside." Gimli began to walk out of the barn and stepped past Legolas.

"Gimli?" The prince called out softly and the dwarf turned around to face the elf. Legolas' deep blue eyes were full of loss and sorrow. "I truly am sorry." His voice was spiked with regret.

"Now, what did I just tell you?" Gimli chided softly with a hint of a smile to lighten the mood. "While I accept your apology, there's no need for it. I won't hold what just happened against you. You have been holding everything inside and it was going to come out sooner or later. Just do me a favor, humm? Let's keep this between us."

"Sure." Legolas had no qualms about agreeing to that.

The dwarf back tracked to the elf. "Com'on. Let's head out of here and get some fresh air. I'm sure that will do you some good. Besides, I want to see what Elladan and Elrohir are up to. They should be back any moment."

Legolas pushed himself away from the wall and walked beside Gimli as they headed out of the barn.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

* * *

Gimli and Legolas made their way out of the barn and stepped into the courtyard. They stood there, taking a moment to let the quiet calm of the space lull any ill feelings from the events that took place in the barn. Legolas wrapped his cloak tightly around him as the late afternoon sun lost its intense heat and he could feel the temperature starting to drop as the sun was beginning its descent to the western horizon.

Gimli eyed Legolas carefully. "You alright Laddie?" he was not sure if it was due to the cold or the self-consciousness that the elf began to bundle up, but either reason was not a good one.

"How do you do it?" Legolas asked. He did not look at the dwarf as he asked the question. Instead, he looked closely at the woven material his cloak was made of and studied the fibers.

"Pardon?" Gimli was not sure if he missed something or the elf was lost in his own head.

"The cold… how do you deal with it? Is this what it is like until spring?" The elf shuddered a little, but it was being chased away as his cloak began to warm him up again.

"Ehh, well, yes an' no. Right now it's not all that cold out here. It is chilly, but this is nothing compared to the deep freeze that winter brings about."

"It gets worse?" Legolas could not imagine it being colder than it was now. He had no perception of temperatures and these past few weeks made him painfully aware that not being able to feel the cold was a huge blessing.

"Aye! It's not even cold enough to snow!"

"It amazes me, then, that mortals take to the cold with such ease." The prince admitted and he looked to the dwarf at his side.

"Well Laddie, you 'pointy-ears' don't get a chance to feel it so you haven't built up a tolerance to it. Besides, you're not dressed for it either. The key to fightin' cold is to dress in layers. A thin silk shirt an' jerkin is not goin' to block the cold out. If you are starting to chill, we should head in. The worst thing to do is let it get too far because it's not easy to warm up."

Legolas took Gimli's word for it but he was a little uncertain about heading inside. He was not sure where he wanted to be and the thought of going indoors, even to escape the cold, was not his ideal place to go any longer. With a heavy sigh, he turned to the dwarf to agree.

"Sure."

"What?" The dwarf asked. He noted the hesitancy in the elf's reply. "Do you not want to go in?"

"I… I do not know where I wish to go. I do not know what's wrong with me."

Gimli did not get a chance to press on the matter as Elladan and Elrohir had made their way back to the courtyard and both the blond archer and the dwarf looked up and eyed the two. Each brother held a mithril-mail shirt tucked under one arm and had somehow acquired sturdy helmets.

"What's the meaning of this?!" the dwarf asked. Their competition of targets was kept friendly and safe. The most dangerous part of their game was all of the bantering insults that they cast at each other when they tried to prove who was a better warrior. It seemed the twins were taking things a little far while they began to gear up for what looked like a battle. Gimli was a little apprehensive as to where this was going.

"Well Gimli," Elladan started. "We have been trying to master a challenging new skill."

"An' what might *_that_* be?" the dwarf questioned as he crossed his arms in curious disapproval.

"Catching an arrow mid-flight!"

"What?!" the Dwarf could not believe his ears as the twins took off their outer tunics and pulled the mithril-mail shirts over their heads before replacing the Gondorian jerkin. "That's just unheard of! Where did you get this outrageous idea from?!"

"Legolas." The older twin said offhandedly

"What?!" The dwarf turned to the prince standing beside him and Legolas had a look of surprise on his face. The prince shook his head quickly in denial.

"I have not put them up to this, I assure you." The blond elf held his hands out as he too eyed the twins with a look of uncertainty. "Perhaps you should not do this. Someone is bound to get hurt." The prince halfway pleaded with the twins. He was in no mood to have any accidents occur, especially if the two were claiming this idea was somehow tied to him.

"Oh nonsense! We have armor! As long as Elrohir can shoot an arrow correctly, we will be fine." The older twin looked to his brother with a devilish grin.

"Do not speak too boldly!" the younger twin gave his brother a playful swat who arched his body to dodge the hit. "Part of the issue is *_you_* not catching the arrow!"

"We shall see little brother." Elladan said as he slipped a helmet over his head. "Alright Legolas! We need for you to tell us what we are doing wrong!" Elladan walked over to the far end of the alley while Elrohir picked up a bow and got ready.

Gimli turned to the prince. "So you have done this before?"

Legolas sighed. "Only out of necessity, not for sport."

"You've actually caught a fired arrow?"

"A few times, yes."

"Well..." the dwarf sounded astonished. "That is something I would like to see!"

Legolas shrugged his nose towards the twins with a weary expression and sounded less than thrilled with his response. "They are going to attempt it. We shall see how they do."

Each of the twins found their ideal stance as they stood facing each other several yards away. Elrohir raised his armed bow and shouted to his brother.

"Ready?"

"Ready!" Elladan called back.

Elrohir pulled the bow string back and aimed carefully for the opposite end of the alley. He held his fire while he gave a count so his brother could expect the shot.

"Three... Two... One.." Elrohir let the arrow jump forward and it flew towards his twin.

Elladan took a step to the side to get closer to the arrow as it rushed towards him. He reached out, but his movements were a bit late. The arrow raced past him and sank into the targets at his back. He resumed his place and prepared himself for another shot.

"Try it again El!"

The younger twin reached for another arrow and fired it off in much the same manner and the brother leaped to the side quickly to try and grab the projectile. Yet again, the arrow flew past him and hit the target.

"Okay, one more time!"

The younger twin obliged him and let another deadly bolt fly past his brother and into the hay bales.

"See!" Elrohir spoke so everyone could hear him. "It is not me! It is you! You cannot catch the arrow!"

"You are shooting it incorrectly!" the elder twin shouted back.

"There is only one way to shoot an arrow!"

"And you are doing it wrong!"

The younger twin turned a miffed expression to the elf and dwarf standing behind him. "Legolas? A little help? Please explain that *_he_* is the one in need of help, not I."

"Actually..." the prince cracked a half smile. "It is both of you. Neither of you are doing it right." He said. The blond prince stepped up to Elrohir, ignoring the disappointed look and began explaining. "You have to aim your shot at his heart." the prince said but halted his words at the stare of disbelief he received from the Noldor-elf.

"W-what?" Elrohir hesitantly asked.

"Yes. You see, it has to be close enough for him to grab without moving far. By aiming at his heart, you will be placing it in the ideal spot for him to catch it."

"What if he misses?" Elrohir's tone was edged with alarm as his hesitant look turned to worry.

"That is why I keep telling you this is a bad idea, my friend!" The prince said with a bit of a smile as the stress from earlier began to ebb away, letting the twin's game distract him. "Besides, he is wearing a mithril shirt, is he not? If he misses, then he will alright. Perhaps a little bruised, but he will be protected."

The twin could not wipe the perplexed look from his face and pondered over his his new role. He swallowed hard as Legolas reached over the twins' shoulder and pulled an arrow out of the quiver and gripped it loosely as he began to walk back to Gimli. Legolas called out to the dwarf.

"Gimli, I need one your gloves, please." The dwarf did not hesitate with the request and removed both of his thick gloves and handed them to the elf without question.

With a nod of thanks, Legolas began to walk down the long alley to continue the lesson with the eldest twin. His steps were easy and light, but faltered suddenly as the lightheaded feeling he had been feeling off and on all day rushed him. The wood-elf slowed his advance while the feeling built, then began to dissipate.

"Legolas?" Elladan took the last few steps to the prince and caught his elbow just as Legolas realized he was not standing straight. The wood-elf righted himself instantly. "Are you alright?"

"I am fine." The blond archer said with a casual dismissal on the matter, but Elladan saw right through the lie.

"No you are not! What happened?"

"Nothing. I am fine." The prince put more effort into his statement while giving off a light smile to counter the concerned look he was given, hoping to brush it off with his feigned, uncaring attitude. He pulled away from Elladan and steered the older twin back to where the Noldor-elf was standing previously. The prince jumped into explaining the catching portion of this so called 'trick' to keep the twin occupied with something other than his own health. "I just was telling 'Ro that it is both of you who are not doing something right. He needs to aim the arrow at your heart. You are taking too much time trying to get yourself to the arrow in order to catch it."

Elladan's reaction to the advise was no different from his twin's and the Noldor-elf's brows flexed in question. This was not what he expected to hear and was a little concerned at what the prince told him. His worry for the prince's health was forgotten and Elladan looked to Legolas who smiled softly at the twin's expression and continued to explain.

"Here..." The prince raised the arrow in his hand and pointed the glinting dart at his own chest to demonstrate. "If the arrow is here, in front of you, then you are not wasting time stepping to it... You need to allow the arrow to do most of the work. Once the arrow is to you, you have to do two things. First, you need to turn. Because even if you do catch it, the arrow will still have momentum and can still strike you while in your grasp.

"By turning, you are giving yourself more power and speed with your reactions. Pivot on your heel-" The prince swiveled to show the raven-haired elf what he meant. "-then reach *_up_* for the arrow like so. This will be easier than actually taking a step and whipping your hand out to the side in order to grab it…. Here- " Legolas passed Elladan Gimli's gloves. "You will need these... remember, the point of the arrow is not always the *_only_* dangerous part. If the shaft is not properly sanded, you can get a nasty splinter. I know it is not life threatening, but I think you would want to avoid it anyhow. And for the sake of practicing, the more protection you have, the better.

"Also, the speed at which the arrow travels can cause even fine materials to become harsh. While you and I may use feather fletchings, some other races prefer thin wood or reeds. They might be delicate in one's hand, but when in motion, the fletchings have a tenancy to cut your fingers... and rather deeply at that. Even if you do use feather veins, the spine of the feather that is inserted into the shaft can separate from the arrow and that will act as a splinter as well."

Elladan took a deep breath as he tried to find a positive tid bit in the prince's lecture, but the more the price spoke, the more dangerous and stupid this idea sounded..

"I do not think I want to do this anymore." Elladan said with a sigh. A thin smile played upon the twins lips before he added to his thought. "Perhaps 'El can be the catcher..."

Legolas gave a small chuckle. "That is up to you two."

Elladan took a moment to let the hesitation work its way out of his being. With another sigh to ready himself, the older twin tightened his face with determination and gave a quick nod and looked to the Wood-elf, gesturing that Elladan was going to follow through without the use of words.

Legolas wore a distant smile on his features as he watched the Noldor-elf psych himself up for the challenge.

"What?" Elladan asked as he took up his stance.

"I just hope this works. If not, I am afraid your father will do everything in his power to get back here and let me have what-for for encouraging this..." the prince let out a sigh as his smile deepened.

Elladan chuckled at the comment. "Oh, I can hear him now... " Elladan made his tone a bit lower and serious as he impersonated one of his father's lectures. "_As a prince, I would have expected more sense from you, even though you are a several hundred years younger than my own sons. What do you think your father would say if he found out that his son and only heir was participating in this ridiculous idea of fun?!_"

Legolas gave a snort of laughter at the uncanny image Elladan provided of Elrond and the all too familiar words that had been spoken many times before. "*_Please_* be careful." he pleaded.

"You think I would try to get struck?" Elladan quirked a dubious expression upon his face but it was replaced by a baffled smile. The prince rolled his eyes. Elladan knew what Legolas meant, but the moment to deliver a swellheaded remark was too good to pass up and both the blond and raven haired elves snickered at the rhetorical reply.

"Good luck." Legolas turned to head back up the ally and brushed past Elrohir to stand with the dwarf. "He is ready whenever you are."

Elrohir called out to his brother. "Ready?"

"Ready!"

The bow was lifted and fitted with an arrow before the same countdown was given.

"Three... Two... One..." and the arrow flew straight for the twin.

Elladan followed the instructions he had just been given and in a blink of an eye, the arrow was at his chest. The twin thrust his gloved hand up as he pivoted on the ball of his foot. His fingers curled and locked around the shaft of the arrow. The momentum in the projectile continued to spin the elf a ways, but once he stopped, he held his hand in the air while shouting with a loud hoot in celebration. The arrow was firmly grasped in the gloved hand, crushing the delicate fletchings at the rear of the arrow.

Elrohir didn't move for a moment and did not seem to register that the attempt was a success. His brother was overjoyed at the other end of the alley and once the stunned shock wore off, the other twin let out his own shout of victory at finally getting a successful catch. He turned an amazed smile to the wood-elf and dwarf who were quietly watching. The dwarf was flabbergasted and his eyes were wide with what he just witnessed while Legolas had a self-satisfied grin on his face.

"I cannot believe that!" Elladan shouted

"We did it!" Elrohir turned back to his brother.

"It worked!"

"Did you *_see_* that?!"

"Of course I saw it! It was flying towards me!"

"We have to try this again! Get ready 'Dan!"

The twins got back into their positions and followed the same pattern as before. Elrohir fired off another arrow and Elladan stepped to the side quickly to avoid a direct hit and whipped his hand out to attempt another catch.

This time, the arrow evaded the grasping hand and struck the elf in the arm. The arrow ricocheted off of the hidden Mithril-mail sleeves and whistled towards the stone walls where it bounced about several times then came to a rest.

Elladan gripped his arm tightly as the pain built in the area that was struck by the arrow. The armor shirt prevented the arrow from piercing the flesh, but the full momentum was still behind the projectile and it pelted the elf with its force. Elladan let some colorful words fly from his mouth as the pain radiated from the strike.

"Are you okay?!" Elrohir shouted to Elladan.

"I am fine! I am fine..." He sounded disappointed with that last attempt. "I do not know what happened!"

Legolas was watching the whole thing and chimed in. "You did not pivot! You stepped to the side to avoid it. It is a natural reaction you need to fight. Do not step away, just turn on your foot." he said.

Once the stinging smart from the arrow's blow dissipated, the elf at the end of the alley straightened up and inspected his arm to make sure he really was okay before he nodded with determination to get ready for the next attempt. "Okay let us try it again..."

His brother gathered an arrow and put it to the string. The blond prince and dwarf watched as the arrow was pulled back and the archer lined up his sights.

The dull lightheadedness in the prince started up again and with a weary huff, he tried to push past it. The feeling did not go away like it had been doing and with alarm, Legolas felt it intensify. His hands began to tingle sharply and his vision blurred. He fixed his sights to the elf with the arrow, but he found himself questioning who this person was. He could not recognize the twin and he became confused and disoriented. His surroundings did not make sense and he could not tell where he was.

Legolas felt like he needed to breathe, but he was very aware that he was already drawing in air as he panted for oxygen. He felt a flash of cold go through his body as he wavered on his feet and he took a slight step to correct his unstable posture. He could not seem to decide which way was up any more. His vision clouded with a black fog and he could no longer see what was around him. A buzzing noise filled his ears and the last thing he could vaguely recall was twang of bow being released before everything else was lost to the elf. He fell soundlessly to ground as he passed out.

As soon as the arrow was released, both of the twins saw the prince crumple to the ground. Their attention was diverted and the arrow sang as it flew through the alley. Elladan was not as focused as he should have been and the arrow flew faster than he was able to move at the moment. It hit the Noldor-elf in the chest. With a pained cry, he cursed as another forceful blow struck him and he sank to his knees painting from the pain.

Elrohir froze. He saw Legolas' unmoving form on the ground a few paces beside him and his brother at the other end of the alley, swearing and writhing in pain. Gimli rushed towards the prince and began to see to him, gently turning him over so he was on his back while calling his name and shaking him to get him to respond.

"Gimli! Do not shake him! Just... Hold on!" Elrohir commanded before he tore his gaze away from Legolas for a moment and focused on his brother.

"Elladan?!" He was concerned that the arrow did more damage but the older twin put a halt to the worry.

"I am fine! See to Legolas!"

Elladan took a few minutes to let the flaring pain subside enough to push past it. He got himself to his feet and made his way up the alley. He found his brother kneeling by the prince's head, checking him over and Gimli was on the other side with one hand on Legolas' shoulder talking softly to try and wake him.

Elrohir pressed his fingers to the Wood-elf's throat feeling the pulse.

"His heart rate is steady, though a bit fast... it could just be from the panic." He commented and moved his hand the elf's eye, pushing it open checking the dilatation of the blue pupil. "But his retinas are responding to light."

"What does that mean?" The dwarf asked. He, like most warriors, knew of basic first aid, but when it came to nitty gritty details, he was at a loss. Elrohir smiled carefully to the dwarf.

"It means that is a good sign. He is responsive, just not coherent."

Elladan stepped in and knelt beside the dwarf. "Is he feverish?" He pressed the back of his hand to Legolas' cheek, then to his forehead feeling heat radiating from the prince. "He is hot."

"You think it is from fever, or just flush?" Elrohir asked as he too checked the prince's temperature to add his own opinion.

Elladan sat back on his heels. "I do not know." He waited and watched the unresponsive prince for a moment, then looked to the dwarf. "Do you know what happened?"

"No. One moment he was standing, the next, he was on th' ground."

"He was a bit unsteady when he came down the end of the alley with me..." Elladan discussed and pressed his hand to the elf's brow again. "He is not cooling down." Elladan reached for the clasps of the Wood-elf's tunic and began to open them to allow any trapped heat escape. "Help me 'El."

Elrohir pulled the prince's hair away from his neck while his brother opened the first few clasps of the Wood-elf's tunic, pushing it open and wafting his hand about the blonds face and torso assisting in bringing the heat down.

Legolas stirred slightly and let out a soft disoriented moan. His mind was fuzzy and things were not making sense to him, but through the fog, he could feel hands on him as he was being undressed. Panic surged through his muddy mind and Legolas forced his eyes open. He brought his trembling hands up to halt the work on the catches of his tunic when his unclear vision caught sight of the Gondorian jerkin leaning over him. The last time he was in this state and seen that same shirt was not that long ago... when he was... when he was...

Fear coursed through his veins as he could no longer remember where he was. He could feel the cold about him, the unrelenting stone under him, and the claustrophobia as several bodies pressed in close while they held him down. He could vividly see the same symbol that adorned of his captors clothing and the prince began to fight in blatant terror.

"AHH!" He tried to twist away from those around him but the hands tightened their hold on him keeping him in place.

"Legolas?" The twins were caught off guard by the Wood-elf's frantic movements and they struggled to hold the prince down so he would not hurt himself further. They knew he was not steady yet and did not want him up and about until they knew Legolas would not to pass out again.

"Laddie? Laddie, take it easy!" The dwarf aided the twins and he gripped the elf's shoulders to keep him still.

The harder they tried to subdue the prince, the more distraught he became. Legolas began to kick and throw punches, but he was so disoriented he could not find a true aim. After a few moments of grappling with his captors, Elladan quickly pinned the prince to the ground with his body weight by straddling the frenzied elf. This seemed to cause the elf to panic a new, but Elladan brought his hands to Legolas' face and held him, firm and still, while he spoke quickly and calmly to the elf.

"Legolas? Legolas? Stop! It is alright, friend. It is only us. We are not going to hurt you. You passed out in the courtyard and we are only trying to help you. Calm down! Calm down! Hush now. It is just your friends, and we are not going to harm you."

The words seemed to reach the prince and he gulped for air as his movements stilled.

"Elrohir?"

"Nay. Tis only me... Elladan. Just take it easy. Elrohir is over there. Gimli is right here too. It is only us, your friends."

"Where?..."

"We are still in the courtyard."

"What?"

"We are in the courtyard where we held the target contest a just a while ago." The wild look in the prince's eyes told the Noldor-elf that Legolas was still terrified and highly confused. "Legolas?... We are in Estel's palace in a courtyard by the stables. Do you not remember getting here?"

"We are?"

"Yes." Elladan looked up to his brother with a flash of deep worry but went back to Legolas who was struggling once more.

"Get off of me. Get off of me!" The confined feeling unsettled the prince and he wanted to get up. Elladan quickly got off of the elf beneath him and Legolas sat up, instantly looking around the area making sure what the Noldor-elf told him was true.

Gimli, Elladan and Elrohir exchanged disturbed and concerned glances but kept quiet while the blond elf sat there. He was panting heavily and the only color in his face was the flush of red in his cheeks. He began to shudder.

Elladan reached out to gauge Legolas' temperature, but as his hand approached, the blond elf cowered away quickly.

"Stop!"

"I am just making sure you are okay." Elladan soothed.

"I'm fine."

They sat there for a while until the prince's breathing returned to normal. Elrohir piped up.

"Well, I think you have had enough excitement for one day." He tried to sound light with his comment. "Let us get you inside. Come."

Everyone got to their feet and helped the prince to stand. After grabbing a couple of important belongings, the quartet headed indoors and made for the prince's rooms. There, everyone busied themselves to get the prince comfortable as they persuaded Legolas to lie down and take it easy for a moment.

Legolas did not have much will to argue with them over the matter. He truthfully did not feel well as he continued to feel unsteady, even when sitting. He climbed into the bed and propped himself up against the headboard. He watched lazily while Gimli built a fire in the hearth and the twins were in and out of the rooms gathering an assortment of healing herbs and utensils to begin mixing various potions and droughts to administer to the elf.

After consuming a few drops of this, and a pinch of that, a warm, soothing tea was handed to Legolas while a cool wet cloth was insistently pressed to his forehead. Elrohir sat down on the bed beside the prince while Elladan disappeared to take care of some unknown tasks.

The Noldor-elf sitting on the bed watched as Legolas took a sip of the tea and made a grimacing face. He let the ceramic cup rest in one hand while his free arm wrapped around his midsection.

"Does it taste bad?" Elrohir asked but the prince shook his head.

"No. I… my stomach hurts a little."

Elrohir had an urgency to find out the root cause of what was plaguing the elf and began to quietly question Legolas, hoping he would not close off and push him away.

"What have you eaten today?" Elrohir asked in a low voice. He believed he knew the answer to the question as he had noted the near full trays of food that were collected from the prince's rooms before he came in to visit everyday.

"Well..." Legolas let out a sigh and thought for a moment, but the twin could see what was going on and interjected.

"Tell me truthfully, Legolas." he chided.

With another sigh, the prince shook his head.

"And what about yesterday?" Elrohir kept his tone neutral while he pushed for more information. When the prince did not comment, he knew the answer. "And before that?"

"I had an apple..."

"*_Just_* an apple?" the twin repeated in question, but Legolas did not retort and kept silent. "Well I think the mystery of why you just passed out is solved." He said somewhat dryly. "Am I correct to assume you have not had much even before that?"

The prince nodded.

"Can I get you anything to eat now?"

"No... I am not hungry."

"Legolas, you need to eat and you cannot deny that statement for what just transpired did not take place for simply no reason."

"I know…. I know I need to eat, but... I cannot right now." The prince slid his arm back and rested his hand on his stomach. "I do not feel well at the moment. Just…. give me some time to let this all settle and then I'll try to eat something." he spoke quietly hoping Elrohir would listen to him.

"Do you feel sick?"

"Yes… a little."

"Do you always feel sick?"

"Only when I think about food."

"Do you ever get sick when you *_do_* eat?"

Legolas felt exhausted and did not even have the energy to try and cover up his lack of appetite as he had the past two weeks. He settled a little against the headboard to get more comfortable before he answered.

"To be honest, I do not each much, so even if I needed to get sick, I do not think I could. Sometimes even the thought of food is enough to make me feel ill and I do not want to risk it."

Elrohir nodded as he thought about the prince's words. He grabbed some of the pillows that were about the room and placed them behind the prince's back so he could further relax. "Can I get you some broth? That might help..."

"Not right now… I really do not want anything at the moment. I know I need to eat, and I will, but not right now… please."

"Alright. Well, at least drink the tea. I have added honey to it so the sugars will give you a boost of energy to help with the trembling, but it will not last long. I am going to see if I can find Estel and-"

"No!" Legolas snapped his head up. He did not want Aragorn getting word of this. The man's constant hovering would only deepen and the elf did not want that.

"Yes! He needs to know. He has been worrying himself sick over you for the past few weeks. You need the help." Elrohir reached out and placed a hand on the prince's shoulder. "We are all worried about you."

Legolas looked into the twin's gray eyes but had to look away quickly as the familiar sick spark of knowledge were in the shale depths.

"Just take it easy for a while." Elrohir stood to his feet and sought out the dwarf who was in one of the chairs by the fire. "Gimli?, I'm going to find Estel. See to it that Legolas stays put. Elladan will be back shortly."

The Noldor-elf walked out of the rooms and began his search for his human brother.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

* * *

****A few hours earlier****

Aragorn walked through his palace with a heavy tread. He had spent the past few hours in a rather pointless council meeting and the nonsense he had to deal with offset his usually calm, collected mood. His royal maroon cloak fanned out as he stalked down the hall, giving his appearance a grand mass of authority while his black tunic, adorned with the elegant Gondorian White Tree and stars, projected strong, unbending power.

His last meeting did not go particularly well leaving the king agitated and frustrated. There was much that needed to be discussed, but the planned agenda was not followed. One opposing view of the issues at hand sent the meeting spiraling off topic and the council assembly quickly turned into a strong debate session. Personal dislikes and conflicts between people lead the staff to argue against one another rather than rally together. This was not like his people.

However, Aragorn was curious to the comments that were handed out. Rather than put a swift halt to the bickering, he listened, inadvertently allowing it to get out of hand. Now he had no plan of action and the day set aside for strategizing against slave traders and illegal arms dealers went to waste.

Aragorn let out an perturbed sigh in defeat.

He was also a little concerned that a very important member of this council did not show up. Faramir, his Advising Steward, was traveling from the city of Osgiliath to Minas Tirith for the approaching holiday and was expected to arrive that morning. However, he did not show up. The king was in no way upset for his absence, but the worry of his Steward's safety only increased as word of his arrival had still not been brought to him.

Aragorn let out yet another sigh.

The King of Gondor marched through the halls, making his way to his throne room. He had a schedule to stick to and was about to enter yet another long meeting that would consume his time. This conference was vastly different than the one he had previously been in, but he dreaded it nonetheless. These next few hours were reserved to meet with any of the townspeople who had matters to take up with their king and judging from the turnout predictions, it was going to be packed.

Every so often, Aragorn would hold open public consultations where the city's people were welcome to discuss issues and concerns they had with the state. This was something the king had created when he first took the throne in order to get a better understanding of all of the issues at hand. It offered Aragorn an uncanny glimpse into the everyday life and perspectives that he as a king could not get.

These meetings were vital in the early days of his rule, but as the king and his Advising Steward resolved the issues to obtain a fair and efficiently run kingdom, these open forums were running out of large-picture problems to solve. Over time, the public turned this meeting into small court cases that ranted about things the king either had no control over, or were so insignificant to the kingdom as a whole that it was not worth the wasted time or resources to settle.

Aragorn wanted to cancel these meetings for a few years now. However, the townspeople fell in love with the romanticized idea that their long lost king was such a good man who held so much concern for the individual, that he would take time to listen to them and help with their troubles.

This idea was not a stretch, for Aragorn did care about the individual, but he was no longer a ranger looking out for small villages and travelers. His role had dramatically increased and his worries had to span over a vast territory, not a just a single small village. He had bigger issues to worry about and while he wanted to make every person happy and content in his kingdom, he was only one man with a hefty load of responsibilities.

But on the contrary, there were rare occasions that a pressing issue would surface or a new outlook on an existing matter would spark the king's interest. So, Aragorn begrudgingly continued to hold these meetings, even though their productivity and use was growing thinner.

Unfortunately, today was scheduled to hold one of these such forums. Aragorn had half a mind to postpone the meetings, but he weighed his options and decided to proceed with it. The Last Harvest Feast was only two days away and he was hoping that the preparations for this massive holiday would deter most of the people from showing up. He wished his predictions on the light turnout would be correct because he really could use a break and would like to spend some much needed time with his family.

Aragorn turned a corner and began to walk down a grand hall that was lined with great arching windows and he took a few moments to overlook the courtyard and see a bit of sunshine. The shingled roof of the royal white barn graced his sites and he stepped closer to the window to get a better glimpse of the outside world. There, he saw Legolas and Gimli standing below holding a target session of sorts.

For a brief moment, his critique of the scene was nothing but disapproval. He was a little uneasy at seeing Legolas out there, but after the elf let an arrow fly and turned a smile to the dwarf, Aragorn's worries were pushed back. He had not seen the prince smile like that in some time and it did his heart good to see this change. Aragorn watched momentarily as the dwarf took his turn at throwing an ax, then turned to badger the elf. He could not hear their conversation, but everything in the stout posture told Aragorn that the dwarf was challenging the prince and Legolas was denying or disagreeing with what the dwarf had just said. The man enjoyed this sight and thought that perhaps he could join them if his meetings did not run too long.

He hoped so.

The king pushed himself away from the window and continued his path to the throne room but stopped suddenly as there were several people just outside of the door talking quietly. The men were all dressed the in the same uniform as the king was, though they were not nearly as neat and clean in appearance. A small eruption of laughter came from the gathering and the men shifted with their mirth. Aragorn caught sight of one of the men and he smiled deeply at who he saw.

Faramir was talking to some old friends outside of the throne hall before he took his formal seat as Steward for the public meetings. Since the king was not in the hall yet, he spared a few moments to exchange pleasantries with the two of the guards who were apparently close to the Steward.

"Well it certainly is good to see you and I am glad to hear that your family is well!" Faramir said and caught sight of his king as he finished his sentence. The Steward straightened his posture and bowed easily, never letting the smile leaving his face. The guards, however, turned fast to gravel stiffly with respect to their High Lord. Just as Quickly as they bowed, they became erect and stiffened into the guards stance they were trained to take in the presence of their king.

Faramir stood casually while the king closed the distance between them. "Hail King Elessar!" Faramir said with warm pleasantries.

Aragorn looked to the guards beside the steward and bid them to take their ease. With a final salute, they let their posture relax a bit and shuffled out of the way to let their king speak freely with Faramir.

Aragorn inclined his head in a cordial gesture, bowing slightly with respect, but holding himself proud for he was the ruler. "Faramir, when did you arrive? No one told me you were here yet!"

"I only just got in. I apologize for the delay, but we…. had to postpone our travels for awhile this morning which caused us to get a late start."

Aragorn waved his hand in dismissal on the matter. "So long as everything is alright..." He let his statement trail off and kept it open, allowing a chance for the other man to give an explanation if he chose to do so.

"All is well. Éowyn had a bout of sickness this morning and did not feel up to riding until it passed."

"She traveled with you?" Aragorn was a bit shocked. The Princess of Ithilien was in the early months of her first pregnancy and the king was a little unsettled that the former Shield-Maiden was allowed to ride. He remembered the Lady's strong fighting spirit so he supposed it should not have been a surprise, but the fact grated on his healer's training and he could not help feeling the disapproval that generated in him.

"She did. She would have it no other way. Her brother sent word to us that he was excited to see her during the holiday so she was persistent on making it." Faramir smirked.

"As long as everyone is safe and well…" Aragorn's statement dissolved, but then picked up with a new thread of thought. "Other than your delays, how was your trip?"

Faramir shook his head slightly and shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing out of the ordinary happened so I can only say that was a good ride!" He smiled, letting his expression help speak the truth. "How did your last meeting go? I was going to join you but I was told that you were finishing up and thought it would be best to let you close the meeting out alone."

"Yes, that was a good idea." The king's voice did a sudden change and he commented a bit dryly. "If that meeting went over any longer, I am sure I would have lost it."

"... It did not go well, then?"

"You can say that."

The steward sighed. "Well, you are going to have to fill me in on the details. I'll see what I can do to help."

"The meeting was unproductive… that is really about it and I do not wish to discuss it any more than that. I just got out of there and have no desires to continue in the pointlessness that just passed." the king let out another weary sigh and shook his head as he reflected inwardly on all that transpired the last few hours. "Let us get this meeting over with so we call it day shall we?" The king inclined his head again to the guards in a pleasant dismissal and he turned to enter the throne room.

The excessively vaulted ceilings gave the room an arid space, but it did not phase the king who strolled down the hall without a second glance. Dignified arches decorated the court, creating cavities to house long narrow windows that lead to the outside world. Each arch was supported by thick, black-stone pillars that helped offset the bleakness of the otherwise white room. Lining the massively wide walkway were statues of kings and noble figures from the past. They too were carved from the very stone from which the city was made and the statues looked to be part of the hall, rather than items to embellish it.

The only furniture in the entire expanse were two cathedras belonging to the highest lords in Gondor. The king's throne was perched atop a large white staircase and the pearly brightness of the marble chair created an aura of awe and power about the high seat. The other was planted at the base of the stairs for the Steward to take a place. This chair was made in much the same fashion as the king's, but it was composed of the same inky black granite that created the rock pillars. Behind both thrones was a flat stone carving, a rendering of the Gondorian logo as a tremendous, towering tree that stretched up the sides of the wall and reached for the arched ceiling.

The floor passing under the king's boots had a faint pattern set into rock tiles, but the design blended into the neutral surroundings rather than stood. The design rolled it's way up to a small uplifting landing being protected by two guards. They stood unmoving and held spears in one hand, a Gondorian banner on a pole in the other. They turned in unison to their king as he passed between them and the helmed me bowed until Aragorn gained the steps to his seat and began to hike the incline to his white chair.

"Well gentlemen," Faramir began to say his farewells for the moment. "it was good to catch up with you, but duty calls. I shall see you at some later point! Pass my greetings on to your brothers!" The guards bid Faramir goodbye and turned back to their stationed posts in the hallway.

The Steward entered the throne room and his boots echoed sharply in the stone hall while he made his long journey across the stone expanse to take his seat. He nodded to the guards as he passed them and plopped in the black chair before he inclined his head at the king who towered overhead.

"Um, my Lord?" Faramir questioned. "Your crown..."

Aragorn's hand flew to his head and noted that he was not wearing his crown, and had not been all day.

"For the love of… I cannot believe I forgot to put that on!"

"Do you want to go get it?"

With a miffed sigh the king shook his head. "No let us get on with this. If anyone is angry with the king and cannot tell who he is, then I'll just point them to you." He flashed a grin to Faramir who scowled back. The king stood and commanded the guards at the door to allow the people in and commenced the beginning of the Townspeople Meetings.

One by one, the townsfolk were escorted into the hall and stood before the king to plead their case and stress the importance of their mission. Faramir had a scroll and quill in hand and was busy scribbling away as he took notes on the issues brought up. While most of the affairs were blown out of proportions, the Steward took his job seriously and worked hard to make sure all cases were documented.

Aragorn would reason with some of the people, but mostly sat there and listened to the droning complaints of the usual; noise ordinances were being broken, some people were making bad neighbors, there were a few bar disputes being brought up and a few petty crimes were committed. Remarks on a mess with the public barns were discussed too as overcrowding put people into a frenzy since there was so much activity and extra horses in the kingdom due to the holiday. Someone even argued that the palace gates were closed too early in the evening and wished to prolong the time frame in which the gates would be open.

It seemed never ending and Aragorn began to drift off as the constant protests of the people melded into one long drawn out speech.

"... And that is why, my king, we need to make sure that businesses are kept separate from the housing! The carpenter is just sawing, hacking and nailing away all day and we can never get a moment of peace! Even if he is in doors, we can still hear it! And I do not know what he is building! Not that I care to know, but his projects and construction are never ending and we are all going mad!" One man argued and he was throwing his arms about illustrating the size of the issue for all to see.

With a sigh, the king sat back in his chair and placed his head into to his hand, rubbing his temple lightly. He was beginning to get a headache from all of the hogwash he had to listen to.

"You said you are renting your apartment from the carpenter, are you not?" The king asked.

"I am."

"Then you knew that the space was used for carpentry before you moved in…. I understand that you have a family and I can only imagine that the sound is unpleasant, but I cannot order the carpenter to leave his woodshop so that you may live in peace. I do not know about your financial situation, but perhaps you can move to a quiet area?"

The man pursed his lips at the dismissal. "No my lord, I cannot just leave! We are settled there and I do not want to make my pregnant wife and children move again! She is due any day now!"

The king held his hand out calmly to halt the angry curtness.

"I will see what I can do." The king caved. He wanted this over with. "We have placed your case in the books and I will look into the matter at a later time. I cannot promise a resolution, but I can guarantee that we will review the matter."

The man bowed to his king. "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The guards escorted the man out of the hall and closed the doors behind them as the villager was shown the way out of the palace.

"Is it just me or do the people think we can work miracles?" Faramir asked as he dropped his pen and rubbed his eyes.

"It is not you…. That better be the last one for today..." The king stretched his arms over his head and let out a yawn that he had been fighting all afternoon.

As if to pull the king further down, the large doors opened once again and a guard took a cautious few steps inside.

"My lord, we have a late arrival that wishes to speak with you." He called out and his voice bounced off of the granite walls in odd patterns.

Both king and steward groaned quietly.

Faramir looked up to Aragorn, hopeful that the king would deny the tardy person, but all the high lord did was sit back in his chair and huffed again.

"What do you think, Aragorn?" Faramir asked.

The king did not speak as he contemplated the situation, but soon called out to the guard. when he realized he was wasting time. "Are you sure this is the last one?"

"Yes, your Grace, there is no one else out there!"

Aragorn turned to the steward to gauge his reaction. "What do you think?" He returned the question to Faramir.

"I cannot make that call, my lord. However, in my opinion, tardiness is rude and I would make this person wait until the next meeting."

Aragorn nodded at the remark, but he continued to ponder over it.

"Then again," Faramir spoke spoke up, "you know what tends to happen; The longer you wait to address the issue, people will have more time to add their personal problems to the matter making it worse than it really is…. Perhaps it is best to get it out of the way?... But, I reiterate, that is entirely up to you… I, for one, have had enough and I can see that you have too."

After a few more minutes to weigh his options, the king shouted back to the guard. "Very well, let them in, but should anyone else show up, send them away. This will be the last case of this meeting!"

With a bow, the guard left the hall and the two stationed bouncers returned to the room, taking up their former positions in front of the throne once more. All was quiet as the last person was gathered and shown to the hall.

The doors to the throne room were pulled open to allow the person inside and Aragorn and Faramir watched as a cloaked figure hesitantly walked into the hall. Whoever it was trecked slowly down the marble aisle toward the grand seats and both High lords studied the stranger. The person wore unique clothing and Aragorn squinted his eyes as he took in the appearance of this lone being. There was something uniquely familiar with this newcomer, but he could not place his finger on why his recognition was sparked.

The booted feet practically made no sound as the light steps carried the person closer. This individual was very tall and thin and it was evident that the one walking towards them had faced many hardships in life. The hunched shoulders and meekness displayed in the figure illustrated a past of cruelness.

A deep hood covered the face of the person and kept it's head low, further hiding any trace of identity. The cloak draped around the shoulders was filthy and shabby. The ends of it were frayed and torn and was splattered with many different stains. Most of it was definitely mud that spoke of long and frequent travels, but there were very dark splotches covering the being as well. It was hard to tell from their vantage point, but it looked like it very well could have been dried blood.

Every now and again, the being's steps would part the cloak and a sudden glimpse of the clothing worn would show through. It was obvious that the garments resembled warriors wear and they were very old; it was ripped in various places, especially the knees and elbows and the aged cloth no longer held any real shape. Instead, the old garments hung off of the lithe body that continued the hesitant march. The clothing seemed to be a brownish-gray in color, but in some places, a slight flash of green could be seen in the folds of the drab fabric, indicating that the cloth was once a magnificent emerald shade and rich in color.

An empty quiver was strapped to one hip and a wooden bow was clutched in long fingers so hard, that the knuckles of the slim hand were stone white. Scabbards for knives were strapped beside the empty quiver, but there were two sheaths and only one handle.

Faramir looked up to the king with a worried confusion. Something about this person did not sit right with the Steward and he began to feel uneasy. He noted that Aragorn was not bothered by this person, but the king was puzzled just the same. Faramir tuned to the guards that were at either end of the aisle and gave them a quick nod, indicating that they needed to shadow this being's every move with great caution.

While the king had always been safe in the palace, there were still few loony people out there who did not seem to like the change in power and despised having a king. There had been a handful of assassination attempts on the king, but none of them were ever close to being a success and Aragorn was never in immediate danger. Faramir was mostly to thank for that for he worked very hard to make sure the guards and armies under his order were in tune to suspicious behavior.

There was something off about this person and Faramir did not like the shift in the atmosphere when the individual approached them. The Steward wanted to take all precautions to ensure Aragorn's safety as well as his own.

After Faramir's subtle command, the guards allowed the being to make it to the end of the walk, but immediately crossed the polls of their banners to halt the person just before the white stone stairs. The person pulled up with a jolt, almost in shock and fear at the guard's sudden movements, but made no more attempts to advance. When they were sure the person was not going to move, they pulled the banners back to allow the king and steward to see the stranger before them. Even so, they remained firmly planted in their locations and flanked the being closely on either side.

The person did not speak and just stood there, waiting to be addressed. They looked to fidget slightly in nervousness and it further put everyone on edge.

Faramir pushed himself to act normal and took up business as usual. He kept his voice soft yet stern to project his authority while he quickly addressed the one before them. The Steward wanted this to be over with as fast a possible.

"Greetings." He said loudly, but was not over generous in the seemingly factual salutation. "State your name a purpose."

The cloaked individual bowed first, showing that they knew how to act in the company of a king. The form bent at the waist gracefully then straightened up, before the hunched being began to speak.

The voice that came from under the hood was completely unexpected and startled the occupants in the room. Even the guards blinked in surprise. The words spoken were light, sweet and uttered with a smooth, formal inflection, giving the notion that this person was a well-spoken woman.

"King Elessar, I thank you for taking the time to meet with a complete stranger, especially on such short notice." She began. Her pronouncements were a little cautious and bordered hesitancy, but pressed on in her response regardless. "Word of your kindness has traveled far and wide and I can see now that those notions of you were not untrue. I have journeyed from far away to search for a new place that I can be welcomed and I have hopes of calling this place home."

Faramir's face tightened with question. It was odd that this person was coming to a king asking to reside here. Mostly, when people wanted to move to new realm, they simply did so. It was never a matter brought up to higher authority and all realms accepted those looking to start a new life under a different rule. They were welcomed to do so as long as the new person was a respectable member of their society and followed their laws.

Aragorn seemed to feel the same way because when Faramir glanced at him once more, the dark haired man also seemed highly confused. Aragorn turned his head slightly to eye the Steward and it was evident they were on the same page.

Faramir leaned forward and studied the cloaked woman before them.

"You know, it is quite rude to keep one's self hidden from a king, especially if you are asking to reside here and expect his permission." His voice was not harsh or demeaning in anyway, rather it was soft and held some compassion. But despite his easy approach, he followed up with a easy command. "Show yourself."

The being seemed to tense up. She did not move right away, but the woman forced herself to move and brought her hand up to gripe the edge of her hood. She paused. A deep breath could be heard as the lady before them prepared herself for what she was about to do.

Slowly she pushed the hood of her cloak back and brought her emerald eyes up to meet the king and steward. Her hair spilled about her neck and shoulders in waves of fiery red strands and was pulled back from her face, forcing it to trail down her back. Her face was graced by a youthful beauty, but there was an uncertainty in her stare. The most defining thing about this woman was her ears; they were slender in shape and the tips were made into a refined point.

She was an elf.

The king and steward sat back a little bit in their seats, amazed at this revelation. The elf-maiden spoke again.

"I have come to search for a new place to live. The times and ways of the world are changing and those who once knew and allied with elves are beginning to question them as my race have disappeared and have left for the Undying Lands. The notion of elves and the stories told about them are becoming nothing more than legends and tales.

"I have lived among mortals for quite some time and my presence is starting to make those around me uneasy as the magic and ways of the Eldar are slowly being forgotten. I am rendered a freak for being born this way. I am an elf; I will not deny it nor do I wish to cover it up, but I seek to fulfill my desires to be among those who still understand elves and their ways.

"It was told to me that you, King Elessar, were once close with my race and held one of the largest allies with elves... among other races too. I have left the northlands where I lived in hopes of finding this to be true."

It took a moment for Aragorn to find his voice, but he proceeded with a calmly spoken response. "Yes. I hold friendships with many individuals of different races and have prided my kingdom on the alliances forged with others that are not man-kind. Personally, I hold a high respect for the Elven race."

The elf-maiden looked a little relieved at this and she smiled slightly.

Some compelling force pushed the king to open up further, although he also seemed to err on the side of caution. "You see, I was raised by elves. When I was a very small child, my parents died and Lord Elrond of Rivendell became my foster father. His sons are my brothers and I married his daughter."

The she-elf before them looked a bit surprised, but suddenly there was a spark of hope in her leafy-green eyes as she heard this news.

"I am very keen on the ways of elves, their customs and needs. Many of my close friends are elves as well. However, I do believe that you are incorrect in your assumptions."

The hopeful look on the elf-maiden drained. The small pleasant look on the her lips slipped away as a touch of doubt reached her brow.

"Not all of the elves have left for Valinor as you have just claimed." Aragorn spoke softly to clarify. The elf was taken aback.

"What?" She asked in astonishment. She began to shake her head to deny what the king had told her, for she knew a different truth. "I was told that they have all sailed. I have been to Mirkwood and passed by Lothlorien to see for myself and I can assure you, My Lord, that those once fair Elven realms are no more."

Aragorn smiled and held out a cautioning hand to silence the worry in the elf's voice.

"That is true. Those woods no longer hold elves and those that were in power are now gone. Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn of Lothlorien have left a few years ago as well as King Thranduil and the Wood-elves of Mirkwood. My foster father has also left along with a great deal of the Noldor-elves. However…. not all of the elves felt the need to leave and the call of the sea evaded their hearts. Those who wished to continue living in Middle-Earth have found a sanctuary in Ithilien and have created a small Elven realm there. In fact, their leader is a very close and dear friend of mine."

The elf before them could not bring herself to talk. She looked to be in shock and could not believe what she was hearing.

Faramir spoke up. While a large part of this mystery was uncovered, there was still a lot that was not adding up.

"If you are an elf, then why is it that you are not close with your race. If the elves did in fact leave, as you had thought, then why did not go with them?"

The woman looked away at the question.

"I-I..." the she-elf stammered. The awkward cautiousness came back to her and she racked her brain for an answer. She swallowed hard and brought her eyes up to meet the two high powered lords sitting above her. They could see sorrow in her eyes.

"I was banished from all Elven realms." She said so quietly, it was almost a whisper.

Faramir cocked an eyebrow at the woman before them. This news stunned him. "And why were you banished?" The warmth in his voice was gone. Only criminals were banished and criminals had no business here in his opinion.

The woman dropped her eyes and did not answer the question right away. The very words that were spoken to her seemed to eat at her and she felt as though all of her hopes were shattering as the two judged her and her predicament. A pain passed through her heart and her eyes began to swim as her memories drifted back. There were so many reasons why she had been banished. She deserved to be banished, but she supplied the only reason that would sum up all of her actions.

"I fell in love." She uttered.

"You were banished for... falling in love?" Faramir questioned. His tone was bordering mockery as this notion seemed absurd. Why would anyone be banished for falling in love? That was unbelievably harsh and was not an act to warrant banishment. He looked to his king, but Aragorn pushed his fingers out toward the steward to halt his speculations.

"I had no business falling in love with whom I did and disobeyed orders by doing so. I do not claim that my punishment was unjust, but I will stand behind my actions as I always have done, for I did not harm anyone and only sought to protect the one I loved." The red-haired elf continued. There was so much sincerity in her words that the raw heartache in her voice touched the king and Steward.

Faramir's expression softened a bit. He was still a little puzzled over the matter, but the one before them was grieving and he hated to see a person like this. A sudden thought came to mind as he noted that this woman was alone and perhaps was not accompanied by the one she loved. He was about to speak, but the king beat him to it.

"What is your name?" The king asked softly. He too hated to see someone like this and the news of this person's cruel punishment pulled on his heart strings, even if he did not fully understand the situation.

"Tauriel."

"Well Tauriel..." he looked to Faramir first to see his reaction before he looked back to Tauriel. "I think you need to be among your own rather than among mortals, do you not agree? I think you should seek a place in Ithilien."

The elf's eyes went wide at hearing this and she shook her head fast. It pained her to do this for she had dreamed of being among elves for the longest time, yet she knew her sentience and that it was not to be tampered with.

"Thank you my lord, but banishment is a very strict ruling among elves and I am forbidden to go to any Elven realms."

"As I said, the Elven Lord of Ithilien is a very dear friend to me. In fact, he is more like a brother. I can assure you that he is a fair leader and has an extremely big heart. While you would have to present your case, I cannot fathom that he would be so callous and turn you away. As you have even said yourself, times are changing and you may be surprised... And, if I am wrong in my assumptions, then we can further discuss a life for you here in Minas Tirith as elves are not frowned upon in my city."

Tauriel's jaw was agape slightly in awe. She was speechless and tried to speak.

"My Lord, I do not know what say... Thank you..." She bowed first to the king then to the Steward.

The king nodded his head at the thanks.

"You have come to us at a rather busy time; We are preparing for a large and much anticipated holiday that will be here in in just a couple of days. I doubt we will be able to discuss much of this and find a resolution quickly, but the Elven Lord of Ithilien is currently here with us. Perhaps I could introduce you to him?"

"Of course your Grace... though, if you are busy, it can wait."

"Tell you what... I have company beginning to arrive for the feasts. The kingdom has a few guests to entertain tonight for the evening meal. Would you join us? This will give you a chance to meet with my friend. I will make him aware of your presence and perhaps you and he could talk."

"Yes, my Lord, I would like that very much... if the Lord of Ithilien agrees to it."

"Very well." The king turned to one of his guards. "Jackson, can you please get Anna for me?" The king asked and the one presumed to be Jackson, bowed and rushed out of the throne room in search of the maid. It was only a few moments before Anna was escorted into the throne room and was brought forth to stand before her king, beside Tauriel.

"You requested my presence Your Majesty?"

"Yes. Thank you. Anna, this is Tauriel. She will be staying with us for a while. Please see to it that she is given a room while she stays here. She will need some new clothing and please add another guest to dinner attendance. If you could show her around briefly and escort her to her chambers, it would be appreciated."

Tauriel was taken aback at how this Royal ran his orders. He did not bark commands like her previous king, Thranduil,. Instead, he was very cordial with them. The last of her worries seemed to ease and she smiled at the pleasant exchange between the mortal king and his subjects.

"Yes your Highness, do you request anything else?"

"No, thank you... Tauriel? This is Anna. She is the head of the palace maids and you will find her to be a very kind person." The king said as he introduced the two.

Anna smiled at the compliment and turned to Tauriel with a blush. She bowed slightly to the elf before her, but did not speak as the king continued.

"If you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask to ask Anna. She knows the ins-and-outs of palace and can help you with anything you may need."

Anna held her hand out to Tauriel in a human greeting, which Tauriel accepted fluidly. They shook hands before Anna hooked her wrist around Tauriel's elbow and began to lead the red-haired elf out of the hall arm-in-arm..

"Welcome to Minas Tirith, Tauriel! You will find this to be one of the most beautiful cities in Middle Earth... " The king and Steward could hear the maid talk to the elf as she was whisked away past the doors.

"Do you think Lord Legolas will take her in?" Faramir asked once the chatter could no longer be heard.

Aragorn shrugged. "I do not see why he would deny her. I know her case is not very clear, but…. he would not turn her away…. I do not think."

"So, when did Legolas get here?" Faramir questioned with a lighter return. He had become good friends with the elf lord since the two joined efforts continuously to rebuild cities and forests. While it was no surprise that Legolas would be here to join in the celebration of the Last Harvest feast, it was unexpected for him to be here so early.

"He has been here for some time. He is dealing with…. some hardships right now and will most likely stay here for a while after. I am not sure when he will be returning to Ithilien, but right now Valiändier is in charge and may need our help until Legolas can return."

"Is he alright?" Faramir asked. His surprise turned sad to hear of ill news about the blond prince.

Aragorn did not want get into any details on the matter so he brushed it off as casually as he could with a lie. "He will be alright, but he just needs some time."

At that moment, the doors opened and one of the staff walked back into the hall.

"My lord, you have a visitor."

* * *

Elrohir picked his way through the palace in search of his human brother. After tracking his whereabouts, the elf found his way to the throne room and the guards outside the doors locked their spears to keep the elf from entering.

"King Elessar is in a meeting and cannot be disturbed." One of the guards said and the raven-haired elf backed up a few paces to give them space.

"Do you know how long the meeting is to last?" He asked, but the guards just shook their heads.

Miffed, Elrohir nodded but stepped to the side to wait for the meeting to end.

The duration of the private council dragged on and on and the elf took to pacing about the area. However, the doors opened and Elrohir looked up as the guests finally came out.

Elrohir froze. Time went just as still as he did and all cares he ever had faded to the background of his thoughts and went totally out of mind. Nothing else mattered to him except drinking up the captivating sight before him.

His head was filled with the sound of his own pounding heart that was rapidly increasing in tempo as he watched with fascination a beautiful, red-haired, elf-maiden walk forward. The loose ends of her auburn hair blew about as she walked in her own wind and she landed her rich green eyes on him. There, a sudden glow emanated about her as her charming features turned to a dazzling, warm smile.

She was ushered past Elrohir and she turned her head to keep her eyes on him all the while. Her smile only deepened before the song of her voice drifted through to Elrohir's consciousness. Her musical tone sounded sweeter than any melody ever played by harps or lutes and it was the most alluring sound he had ever heard in his life.

"You are an elf?!" She questioned and her pleasant dimples turned to pleased surprise.

Elrohir could not think.

He could not breathe.

All he seemed to be able to do was take in her beauty that left him awe-struck.

"My… ears… are points…" He mumbled, but he was not sure what he had just said and he could only concentrate on the exquisite creature walking past him.

The elf maiden shoot him a bizarre look. This elf seemed to ogle over her and she felt a little uncomfortable with his reaction. However, she smiled politely to him as Anna continued to walk her down the hall.

"Yes, we elves seem to have pointed ears..." She said as though she were speaking softly to a young child to confirm their outlandish beliefs.

Elrohir watched as the red-haired elf seemed to dance down the halls and her steps were even more graceful and carefully placed than a cat's. Her thick mane of hair swung behind her with each balletic step and he watched her weightless gait disappear down the hall.

Elrohir breathed out in a huff as he realized he had been holding his air, but the images of the elf maiden plagued his mind and his head felt as though it was floating.

However, the blissful daze suddenly popped when the sudden realization of what he just said hit him like a ton of bricks.

$"My ears are *_points_*?" The twin questioned himself out loud and snorted in disgusted embarrassment over his foolish words. "_Ai Elbereth_… could I have said anything more stupid?" He mentally kicked himself.

"The king is ready to see you." One of the guards said and the Noldor-elf whirled around to see the forgotten soldiers grinning sheepishly behind him. They heard the dazed comment but tried their best to act normal.

Elrohir's cheeks flushed in mortification. Not only had he uttered the ridiculous phrase to that striking beauty, but did so in front of others.

Elrohir gulped.

"The king is waiting." The guard spoke up again to get the elf moving and Elrohir suddenly could not remember why he was here anymore. He tried to make the memory surface, but the only thing that came to mind was the stunning she-elf he had just seen. He pushed himself through the door while ignoring the amused glances the guards delivered him. Instead, his mind dwelled over the image that had just been seared into his mind and he gladly focused on that. Elrohir entered the throne room and walked down the marble floor to approach his seated brother and the steward.

Faramir had a welcoming smile on his face the instant he saw the elf, but turned quickly to the king. His hand came up to his face to block out a comment that was meant to stay between the two of them. Elrohir couldn't have cared less with what they were discussing and seemed to move in a slight stupor while a dreamy smile covered his face. He looked first to his mortal brother who was watching him and then looked back to the Steward who sat beneath the king.

Faramir's friendly expression quickly turned ice cold.

The steward practically jumped to his feet and stood with a harshly straight posture. He turned to the guards and commanded them with a bark.

"Bind him! You, *_sir_*, are under arrest!"

Elrohir halted mid step as he was pulled from his pleasant daydream only to find an angry man glaring at him. He did not know what was going on and the guards turned quickly to rush him. They grabbed the elf's arms and placed heavy iron shackles about his wrists.

"Lord Faramir! What in the name of _Arda_ is going on?! Release me!"

"Silence!" Faramir nearly screamed. "Take him away to the dungeons and make the master aware that an unruly prisoner will need to be dealt with! Tell him the full punishment of ten lashes is in order for his actions!" He said coldly and waved his hand to have the guards carry out his orders. The bouncers began to corral the elf back out of the doors, but the raven-haired elf began to struggle and locked his eyes to his human brother.

"Estel?!" The twin shouted and noted that his brother was sitting on the throne watching the whole thing unfold with an even stare. "Estel! What is going on?! Tell them to let me go! Surely there has been some sort of mistake!"

Aragorn held out his hands. "Elrohir, my hands are tied in this matter. I cannot help you. I am so sorry my brother."

"WHAT?! You are a king! You have all of the power!" Elrohir wailed. He began to panic. "Please! Do not do this! What happened?!" The elf was frantic as he was being carefully pushed toward the exit.

"I said silence!" Faramir began to march down the aisle and commanded the guards to stop. They halted their actions, but kept a firm grip on their prisoner. The irate Steward stormed after them and put his face only inches away from the shocked elf's.

"You have no idea *_why_* this is happening?" Faramir sneard and searched the grey depths of the elf's eyes for any indication that he knew what was going on. "What kind of *_fool_* do you take me for?!" He growled.

"I take you for no fool, I swear it! Lord Faramir, I am sure there is some sort of mistake! Please..." The elf pleaded. His heart was hammering in his chest and he was so confused and scared that he was beginning to hyperventilate. The fact that his brother was not stepping in coursed dread through him and he tried to get a glimpse of his brother around the steward to see if some dark magic had consumed Aragorn.

"Well then I guess I will have to jog your memory…. You, are hereby under arrest for the actions in which you have taken against a nobleman in Osgiliath! Surely a bucket of tar and a bag of feathers rings a bell?" Faramir glared at the elf.

"W-what?... Uh..."

"Do you... or do you *_not_* recall?" the Steward demanded.

"I... I do remember, but I think this is a little harsh for an innocent prank!"

"Innocent?!... I had a very important meeting to attend and despite all of my efforts to get cleaned up after your idea of a jest, I still looked like a fool before all of the advisers... AND the King of Rohan... *_who_* is also my brother-in-law!" Faramir halted to let his words sink into the petrified elf.

"Oh yes Éomer saw the whole thing happen. He now calls the leaders of Gondor, Wingfoot-" he pointed to Aragorn. "And Chickenwing." he pointed to himself. "You assaulted the Prince of Ithilien, humiliated me in front of my peers and I now have a highly distasteful alias that my brother-in-law loves. Oh no, you are most definitely going to pay for that and when I find your identical brother, I cannot wait to lock his sulking neck in a cell next to yours!" The Steward growled and held the elf's wide-eyed gaze.

"It was a joke Faramir! It was a joke! Please believe me! We meant no harm by it and did not expect you to fall into the trap until later! Please Faramir! It was a joke!" Elrohir pleaded hysterically with the man before him. Faramir gripped the front of the elf's tunic and hauled him even closer to his face. Elrohir did his best to pull back, but was pulled forward regardless.

"And you know what elf?" Faramir suddenly quirked an eyebrow at Elrohir. "So is this."

The ferocity in Faramir's eyes snapped away and a huge smile covered his face.

Elrohir stood there speechless and shocked, not sure what was going on. If he was confused before, he was completely disoriented now.

He looked to his hands as a 'click' sounded and he noted that Faramir held keys and was removing the shackles from his wrists.

"What?..." the elf almost sobbed. As the manacles were pulled off his wrists, Elrohir looked to his brother who was still perched in his chair.

Aragorn was now doubled over with laughter.

"What?!" The elf repeated, though a little louder this time. He could not piece things together right now and his reeling mind went blank.

Faramir took hold of his elbow and pulled the stunned elf towards the throne. "I do believe that is what you call payback, Master Jester." He said between laughing fits. "You have to admit, I had you pretty well fooled!"

The elf stopped short and yanked his arm from the grasp.

"*_That_* was not funny!" Elrohir flushed as he realized he had been tricked. The men in the hall, including the guards, only laughed harder which caused the raven-haired elf to bristle.

"Yes it was! You should have seen the look upon your face!... And the one you are currently wearing!" Faramir let the elf walk where he wanted, but the steward continued his path. The man dropped down in his chair where he started to swipe at the tears that were forming due to his hysterical fit.

"Estel!" The twin sharply reproached. He was starting to get angry. "It is not funny! How could you allow them to do that to me?!" He demanded.

"Ro', you had it coming to you! I will help you in no way when it comes to payback for all of the gags you have pulled on people. I love you brother, but you deserved that."

Elrohir crossed his arms over his chest and stood there taking the humiliation and hating every second of it. His face was beat red and he scowled as the men in the room could not abate their laughter.

"Oh come now Master Elf! Surely you do not need to pout like a baby over this." The Steward started to snicker again and the Noldor-elf glared at the man.

"Do not flatter yourself..." Elrohir grumbled. "I am only thinking of very vengeful paybacks that I can legally carry out. While I do not have any ideas yet, I will warn you that you need to sleep like an elf!"

"Cuddled in your human brother's arms for protection?" The man asked easily as if to antagonize and the steward leaned on the arm of his black chair nonchalantly. He began to laugh again when the elf's scowl deepened.

Elrohir dangerously stalked towards the man, but the guards quickly crossed spears as their in-tune training kicked in. Elrohir halted, but his words were unfazed by his checked motion.

"No! With your eyes open!" Elrohir spat back in reply.

"Peace Elrohir!" Aragorn called out. He could see his brother was flustered and had no wish to have any pranks pulled during this busy time. "Let the matter drop, let it drop!" The king encouraged.

Elrohir huffed, but did eventually back down as the king began to descend from his throne's perch.

"So what brings you here?" Aragorn asked as he stepped to his brother.

Elrohir tore his smoldering gaze away from the smirking Steward and looked at this brother. He wracked his brain for an explanation, but the only thing he could remember was a flash of red hair and a dainty face that smiled to him as the she-elf walked past.

"Who was that?" Elrohir pointed to the doors forgetting Aragorn's question for the moment. His memory would return sooner or later and he felt an urgency to find out who he had just encountered.

"She is a refugee. She came here looking for a new home for she has been away from her people for a while and is looking for a safe place to call home."

"Did you catch her name?"

The man looked to his brother and cracked a smile after noting a spark of longing and a flicker of hope behind his silver eyes.

"Why?" the beginnings of a smirk were forming on the king's lips, but Elrohir recognized the skeptical look. The elf tried to play it off for he was in no mood to have another gag played on him.

"What? I just want to know her name 'tis all? Do you hold meetings with strangers? I think not!"

The King tried to wash the grin from his face as he knew exactly what was going on. Something was ignited in his brother and Aragorn battled his humor as he spoke to the elf.

"You do not need to get so defensive 'El. Her name is Tauriel and she lived up north. That is all I can tell you. I am going to have her meet with Legolas so she can try to reside in Ithilien... And no… she cannot go back to Rivendell with you."

"What?!" The twin shot his brother an incredulous look. "That is not at all-"

"Okay! Aright! Peace, peace…. So what brings you here?"

Elrohir was about to talk, but Faramir chimed in and all eyes turned toward him.

"Did you hear that your bonnie-lass is here and you have come to sweep her off her feet?" the Steward teased and the elf clenched his jaw at the barb.

"No..." He glared at Faramir. "Your wife tracked me down and asked that I find you because she needs her undergarments back."

"Elrohir!" Aragorn snapped. He could not believe that his brother had just said that.

Faramir had a careful smile on his face as he got up from his seat.

"Well, I can clearly see where this conversation is going... If you will excuse me." The Steward bowed to his king as he stepped past Aragorn and Elrohir and made for the doors a great distance off. The awkward silence was filled with the steward's footsteps as he walked, but he paused just before the exit. Faramir turned back to the elf thoughtfully.

"Elrohir? Could you please find my wife and tell her that I'll be happy to bring her undergarments, but first, I need to locate them in your dresser." He raised his eyebrows as the elf's jaw was dropping in astonishment. The man stepped out of the hall before the elf could say another witty remark.

"What is with him?! I have never seen him like this before! Playing pranks... and now that?! He used to be so softly spoken..."

"He has been spending a good amount of time with Éomer and I think some of the Rohirrim antics have rubbed off on Faramir."

"Well then please remind me that Éomer is now on my shit-list!" the twin was whipped up into a storm. He hated it when others played his games. It was no fun like this.

The man just shook his head.

"Come, I want to get out of here before another visitor arrives and causes me to be stuck here. This day has been far too long and I am about ready to pass out from boredom. I saw Legolas and Gimli outside earlier and thought to join them if they are still out there." The man began to walk out of the room when his brother caught his arm.

"Actually…" Elrohir stopped his brother from leaving. The king's statement jarred his memory and the reason as to why he was here in the first place came flooding back. "I needed to talk to you."

Aragorn looked to his brother and noted the seriousness that overcame him. "What is it?"

"Legolas is not well." Elrohir said softly.

"What?... No… He is fine. I just saw him. He was with Gimli shooting targets."

"Yes... and 'Dan and I joined them. Legolas… he passed out."

"What? Why?" The man began to worry over this news.

"There seem to be many reasons Estel, but the main reason is he is not taking care of himself. He has not eaten properly for a long time and it is beginning to take its toll on him."

The man looked off and sighed. He knew the prince was not eating, but he had tried everything he could to try and get the Wood-elf to eat.

"Where is he?" Aragorn asked.

"We have taken him to his rooms. He is resting now. 'Dan and I have given him some medication and supplements to help his strength for the time being, but… something needs to be done Estel." Aragorn looked to his brother and saw the deep worry in his eyes. "He cannot continue like this."

Aragorn nodded absently in agreement. "You say he is in his rooms?"

"Yes"

With a final heavy breath to prepare himself, the man turned to the doors with his brother beside him as they made their way to the prince's rooms.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

* * *

Aragorn and Elrohir arrived at Legolas' rooms and did not hesitate as they opened the doors to let themselves in. The late afternoon sun was partially blocked out by a few closed curtains that were closest to the bed, casting a shadow in that corner. The rest of the drapes were left open and let the golden glow into the space. A hot fire was burning away in the fireplace and the heavily cushioned chairs that were in the warm light were occupied by Gimli and Elladan. They turned quickly and quietly to the new arrivals and halted their hushed discussion.

Aragorn pushed through the door and looked about. His oldest brother held a finger to his lips, indicating for the newcomers to be quiet and he glanced at the bed. Aragorn followed the gaze and found his friend asleep on the mattress.

Legolas did not even bother to get under the covers. He lay on his side with his eyes closed on top of the thick comforter. His head was angled sharply as it rested against the pillows that previously supported his back and his boots were still strapped on. He did not move when the door made the subtle creek as it was opened.

Elladan quickly rose from his chair and approached the two that just entered. "He fell asleep not too long ago."

Without a word, Aragorn made for the bed and reach for one of the boots and began to pick at the laces that stitched the sturdy leather up the side of the elf's calf. He wanted to make the prince as comfortable as possible, but Elladan halted him.

"Do not do that… he's... uneasy yet. That is why we left them on. We did not want to cause him any more distress." The elf whispered.

Aragorn's eyes furrowed in concern. He did not miss the way the twin spoke and that the word 'more' was added to his explanation. The man seemed to piece together what his brother was saying and nodded. He left the boots as they were and rounded the mattress to kneel on the floor by the head of the bed. He studied the youthful face and the sever lack of color in the smooth features. With a cautious hand, Aragorn lay the backs of his fingers against the cold cheek, disappointed that his expectations on the elf's temperature were correct.

He grabbed the throw off the far end of the bed and carefully eased it out from beneath the booted feet before he unfolded it. Quietly, he draped the soft comforting fabric over the elf's upper body to help bring about some much needed warmth. Once the prince was covered, he turned to Elrohir who had joined them.

"Can you make a hot water bottle?"

The twin nodded, but did not leave right away. He leaned across his brother's form and grabbed the ceramic mug that was sitting on the nightstand. He frowned.

Aragorn reached up and grabbed the mug after seeing his brothers dissatisfaction and brought the mug to his eye level. Aragorn could see the contents while he felt the cool glaze of the pottery in his palms. The cup was nearly full of cold tea. He could smell the various herbs in the concoction and knew what the purpose this drought served. With a weary disappointed shake of his head, the man handed the energizing and nutrient rich tea back to the elf so it could be disposed.

"He will not even drink tea!" The twin whispered harshly, but the man cut off the frustration with a firm gesture of his hand. Anger on anyone's part would not help the situation. He had nearly gotten to that point himself on many occasions these past few days with Legolas' stubborn ways and knew that the twin was only concerned, as they all were, but he was not dealing with it properly.

"Stop it… just go get the water bottle."

The twin turned and left the rooms.

Aragorn grabbed the pillows and carefully pulled them flat against the bed, alleviating the harsh position of the prince's head. Despite his gentle ways and efforts not to wake the elf, Legolas felt the shift around himself and his eyes blinked heavily and he began to stir. Aragorn crouched next to his friend again and smiled lightly.

"Hello _mellon-nin_. How are you feeling?" He asked quietly. He did not exactly want the elf to wake, for he knew rest was important, but he needed to speak with him for a bit and try to find out what was going on. He looked into the foggy blue eyes, making another mental note about the elf's condition while he continued his health assessment on his friend.

"Strider?" The elf did not move. He was completely drained at the moment and he watched the man in front of him as Aragorn moved carefully to check his vitals. After a review of the elf's pulse, the man sat back on his heels.

"I think you may have pushed yourself a little too hard today." Aragorn spoke softly and tucked the stray locks of blonde hair away from the elf's face. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Legolas' eyes began to drift closed and he let out a tired sigh.

"I don't know." The elf murmured and his speech slurred with fatigue.

"How do you feel now?"

"Tired."

"Well I can imagine so. One would get that way if they did not eat and had nothing to fuel their strength." The man said trying to steer the conversation to the important matter at hand. However, the elf didn't even open his eyes and had little reaction to the words. He seemed to either not to hear him or not care, and either reason did not sit well the king. "I know you do not feel well, but I am going to request your presence at dinner tonight. Many important people are going to be present and there will need to be some discussions about your portion in Ithilien. I know I caved on this matter before, but tonight, you need to be there."

Legolas simply nodded as the man spoke. He was too tired to be suborn right now and really just wanted to be left alone.

"Legolas, I am serious. I will come up here and drag you to the dining hall if I must. Please make this easy on everyone." Though he was pleading with the elf, his tone held warning to it, almost threatening the elf that some sort of unknown action would ensue if the elf did not show up.

"I'll be there." The prince mumbled as he forced his eyes open. Aragorn regarded the elf with skepticism. Getting the prince to agree was too easy but after awhile, he decided to take Legolas' word for it. The prince would show up, one way or another, and the man hoped it was under the elf's own power and will.

"Can I get you anything?" The man offered and the elf just shook his head slightly against the pillow at his cheek. "Can I do anything to make you more comfortable? Do you want to get under the covers?"

Legolas simply shook his head again. Though he wanted to get snuggled into the warmth, he had no strength to move at the moment and he became dully aware of a wobble in his body. He reached out and grabbed the edge of the blanket and pulled it closer about him, but the man caught sight of the shaky appendage and grabbed it. Aragorn studied for a moment, feeling for himself the trembling that consumed his friend. The man reached for the elf's forearm and felt the muscle tone through the silken shirt. The prince was relaxed, not tensed up from the cold. Legolas was not shivering, he was just very unstable.

Aragorn picked his sights up to Elladan and Gimli who were hovering nearby and nodded to the door. He needed some privacy with his friend to talk to him. Elladan began to push the dwarf out of the room and once the door closed, Aragorn got to his feet. He made his way to the foot of the bed and began to remove the boots the elf still wore. Legolas could feel the laces loosening and he picked his head up and glanced at the man's actions.

"What are you doing?" Legolas grumbled.

"Making you more comfortable. You should rest for a while."

Legolas saw the boots he still wore and let out another sigh as he dropped his head back to the pillow.

"I didn't realize I had left them on." He seemed to say with effort, but did not resist his friend's attempts to make him comfortable.

"Legolas... I need you to talk to me. What is going on?"

The man had been trying to break through to the elf's mental distress for days now but the prince had a very heavy guard about him and did everything he could to get away from the subject. Elrohir was right; the prince could not continue like this and something needed to be done. The elf on the bed did not seem as rigid as he had been. Aragorn hoped that this was the opportunity he was looking for to try to open the elf's heart and mind on the emotional distress he was in, even if it was not the ideal time to try and get the elf to cope with his abuse. Legolas was rundown, but any amount of light shed on the matter would be a major benefit to those closest to the prince and they could use this knowledge to help him. Aragorn knew the elf's ill use was to blame, but the extent of the mental damaged that was inflicted and the wounds to his light heart and soul were kept hidden. It appeared Legolas was simply living in denial; He was not troubled, he was not hurting, he was not hungry and he was fine. They were all lies.

"Hmm?" The elf grunted.

"You are passing out, you will not eat, you barely sleep, and when you do sleep, it is not… Elven like, and you are cold.. nearly all the time. I want to help you and I am trying to get you to recover, but nothing I am doing, nor my brothers, is proving to work. Please, Legolas, what is wrong?" The man knew it was a shot in the dark to get the elf to speak truthfully on the matter, but he held a glimmer of hope that the prince would finally open up since he seemed to have little strength to even be stubborn.

"I am just tired-"

"I do not think being tired is the only explanation." Aragorn softly interrupted his friend. "I know that you are tired… even exhausted, but… you are bothered by something. What is it?"

"I just… do not feel well."

"What do you mean?"

"I feel nauseous. I know I need to eat, I just do not feel well."

This was not what Aragorn had meant. Apparently Legolas thought he had meant about the recent bout of passing out, rather than the overall picture.

"I think that is because you have let it go for too long. Once you take some nourishment, you will see that it is all in your head. Can I get you something to eat now?"

"No."

"Legolas..."

"I do not want anything." The elf's voice was getting a little bit tense. Aragorn supposed it would not hurt to wait a few more hours for the elf to eat. He backed down on anything that would only lead to an argument and removed the unlaced boots and tucked them under the bed to keep them out of the way. He helped the elf sit up and pulled the covers down, assisting the prince to shift awkwardly as the thick blankets were pulled down around him. When Legolas was laying back down, the man pulled the covers up around him. Legolas began to shiver again as the cool sheets covered him and he curled on his side to try and find some warmth.

There was a quick knock at the door.

"Come in!" Aragorn called.

Elrohir entered with the hot water bottle as requested and Aragorn took it from him, pressing it under the covers against Legolas' chest to add a soothing heat to help him relax.

"Just... rest before dinner Legolas. I'll come wake you up so you have time to get ready."

The blond head simply nodded as the prince closed his eyes.

Aragorn turned to exit the room and saw the company that had let themselves back in. The twins and dwarf were standing in the foyer, waiting to see if they should enter or leave.

Aragorn motioned for everyone to get out and once they were all in the hallway, they allowed themselves to talk to one another. Elladan was the first to speak and he crossed his arms in opposition and looked to his human brother.

"I do not think now is the time to bog Legolas down with petty dealings in Ithilien!" He was not happy hearing that Legolas needed to be present for the dinner to discuss politics. He could not believe his brother could be so indifferent to the prince's well being and putting him in the diplomat role to make him deal with a city's troubles at a time like this.

"No, no…" Aragorn rejected this accusation. "It is not what it seems. Earlier today an elf came to us looking for a place to reside. I told her that she should speak with Legolas-"

"Her name is Tauriel..." Elrohir interrupted and Aragorn suppressed a smirk while Elladan glanced at his brother with a hint of surprise.

"Oh? And how do you know her?" He asked. The corners of his lips were beginning to quirk. Elrohir gave his brother a slight shove.

"Because I met her... In the hallway as I was going to retrieve Estel."

"Eehh, sound to me like ya' have your eyes on her now, Laddie. Look at the way your face is turnin' red!" Gimli piped up and the three of them grinned ear to ear as Elrohir shifted.

"No! I-... No! I do not know her! She is beautiful beyond a doubt, but past that, I have no idea who she is!... What is it that makes everyone assume I am in love?!" He stormed past the company in the hall and began to march to some unknown location.

"Just remember brother..." Elladan called out. "I am the best man at the wedding!"

"Shut-up Elladan!" The barked voice drifted to them which only caused Elladan to laugh harder.

"Oh this is going to be fun..." Elladan mused and Aragorn could almost see the cranks and mechanisms in his oldest brother's head turn as he pondered over the joys and delights he could receive at his twin's expense.

"Just do not make her uncomfortable. That is the last thing anyone needs and I do not want her to feel unwelcome before she speaks with Legolas." Aragorn chided. He knew his brother's antics and did not want the poor she-elf to be trapped in the chaos of love and pranks.

"Right… about that." Elladan looked to his brother again to find out his true intent on dinner discussions.

"I am going to use Legolas' own head games against him." He quickly supplied an explanation. Gimli and Elladan looked to Aragorn, not sure what he was up to. "At this moment, I care not for the newcomer looking to reside in Ithilien. However, it proved to be a convenient excuse to coax him to attend. Once he is there, he will see it will be a full hall. He simply will not sit there and not eat. People will begin to look at him and question him. If Legolas stays true to his ways as he has been, he will try to act as though everything is normal, and I hope he will partake in the dinner... if only to make himself look stronger, even if he does not want to eat."

The two realized that the man had a trick up his sleeve after all and saw the logic behind the plan.

"That is a bit sneaky, do you not agree?" Elladan quirked an eyebrow, but the man shrugged.

"Do you have any better ideas? We have been through this with Legolas for days now. At this point, I care not for the reasons *_why_* he eats he just needs *_to_* eat. I hope this will be good jump start to getting past this."

The man threw his head slightly down the hall, motioning for his brother to follow and began to further discuss some light details. However, Aragorn noted that Gimli stayed behind and turned just as the door to Legolas' rooms creaked open.

"Gimli?" He whispered. "Leave him be! He needs to rest."

"I know that Aragorn, I'll not be disturbin' him. If he wakens, I don't think he should be alone. I'll stay with him in case he needs somethin'. And if not, then I'll assist you in getting him down there for the meal… Legolas might be stubborn, but so am I."

The dwarf was reluctant to leave his friend alone after all of the events that transpired that day. The explosion of anger the elf had proved that he was withdrawing and corking his pain. Though Gimli had never been placed in this situation before, leaving the elf alone to wallow in depression did not seem like an answer. Besides, he had told the elf that what went on in the barn was to stay between them. Aragorn did not need to get involved with that, not now at any rate.

Aragorn smiled to the dwarf. "Alright, but let him sleep as long as he can. If he resists coming to dinner, call for backup." The man turned to his brother and winked at him. Elladan nodded.

"I'll be able to help you Master Dwarf. I will not be far away." The elf paused for a moment and looked to the dwarf with a tender smile. "Legolas is lucky to have someone like you at his side... You are a good friend."

"I just want to help him is all. I don't want us to lose him over everythin' that happened." Gimli said in a hushed tone. After a quick nod, he entered the chambers and pulled the door closed.

* * *

The dinner hall was just about full that evening and there was a pleasant buzz about the grand table as people talked to one another. A few seats remained empty and the food was halted until everyone arrived. However, the serving staff was busy tending to guests as they filled water goblets and wine flutes.

The king and queen sat at polar opposites of the large table and were holding their own conversations with those nearby. Everyone else was free to take a seat where they chose and guests shuffled about to make more room as more people showed up.

Tauriel was escorted to the dining hall to keep her from getting lost in the unfamiliar place and once she was shown the door, the escort left her and vanished down the rotunda. She stood there a little uneasy and took a few moments to collect her thoughts. She kept telling herself to calm down but the more she dwelled over this, the more anxious she felt. The introduction to the Elven Ithilien ruler was very critical and the fate of her being able to reunite with her people was on the line. She only had one chance to make a good impression, and only one chance to get back home.

She pulled at the fabric that created a very ethereal dress, and fidgeted with the garment in discomfort. She was not used to wearing anything this dainty and desired to be more comfortable in a long tunic and leggings. However, it was the only thing she was provided at the moment and she knew she could not show up to dinner in grand company wearing her aged, soiled clothing.

The dark blue silken dress held practically no weight and she felt like she was wearing nothing. She grabbed her flowing, wavy red-hair that was at her back and pulled a portion of it over her shoulders, adding another layer of cover to her appearance. She pulled the decorative silver cording around her waist a little tighter and smoothed out the slight flair in her sleeves before she commanded her legs to walk and she entered the dining hall.

A few people looked up to her as she appeared and she did her best to smile graciously to them. She did not recognize a single person in the room until she saw the steward and king at one end of the table. She bowed to them in respect but did not speak as they were in the middle of a kingly discussion of sorts. She began to look for an empty chair when someone behind her spoke.

"My Lady, may I please show you to your seat?"

She turned to see another familiar face and recognized this person as the elf she passed in the hall earlier. The dark-haired elf was smiling brightly to her while he calmly placed his hand over his heart and swept it towards her in a formal Elvish greeting. He bowed his head lightly, causing his dark hair to spill over his shoulders before he straightened up.

"My name is Elrohir, and I am one of the king's Elven brothers. I have been told your name is Tauriel?"

Tauriel repeated the formal greeting to the elf and noted his appearance. He was no longer wearing the Gondorian soldiers clothing he was in earlier and was now clad in elegant formal wear. His noble robes seemed to glitter in the candlelight as the metallic detail and glossiness of the silk reflected the shine.

"Uh, yes, nice to meet you Elrohir." She nodded in thanks, though smiled awkwardly.

Elrohir held his hand out in front of him, showing Tauriel the way to several empty chairs placed at the other side of the wooden table. She glided past the extended hand, making for one of the chairs, when she was struck by another seated being… or was it the same? She did a double take between the person sitting in the chair and the one following her.

"He is my twin brother, Elladan." Elrohir explained as he saw the flash of confusion in the green eyes. Elven twins were rare and judging from her reaction, Elrohir guessed that Tauriel had never seen identical siblings before.

At the sound of his name, the twin sitting down turned and smiled to the elf-maiden standing just behind him.

"Ah! You must be Tauriel!" He did a quick version of the Elvish greeting. "I am Elladan. I have been told of your beauty, but words seem to fail in comparison..." He gave her a small wink but Elrohir stepped in front of his brother to block the sight of him. The younger twin smiled to the she-elf, but flushed with embarrassment.

"I uh... I apologize for my brother's boldness, but please Tauriel, allow me..." Elrohir grabbed the back of a chair beside his own and began to pull it out for her. Yet as he did so, Tauriel stepped to the next vacant seat and pulled it out for herself. She sat down quickly.

"Thank you." she said with a warm smile before she turned to the others at the table to have a look around and play off her refusal.

Elrohir stood there for a second, disgruntled at what had just happened but pushed the chair back in before he pulled his own out and plopped into the wooden seat beside his brother. After scooting the chair in a little, he delivered a swift kick to his twin's shin and Elladan stifled a cry.

"*_What_* was that about?!" Elrohir hissed through clenched teeth.

Elladan bent over to rub the ache in his leg. "What? I thought you said you were not in love?" He whispered back as a devilish grin worked its way over his lips. "I was only commenting on-"

"You made her uncomfortable!"

"No, *_you_* made her uncomfortable!"

"I swear it Elladan… do not embarrass me!"

"You need no help there… I think you are doing an adequate job of that on your own!"

Elrohir huffed as he further pulled his chair in. With a jerk to his wrist, he snapped the napkin free of its folds before placing it in his lap.

"Oh, quit your worrying!" Elladan snickered. "I will not sabotage any romantic chance you may have with her."

"You certainly did with Lady Nienna."

"You had no business with the likes of her. I *_saved_* you brother! Remember that. She was no good and you deserved better than that wretched creature they called a woman!"

"I think *_I_* would know better than *_you_* what would be best for me-"

A few guests were beginning to look at the twins and Elladan rammed his fist into his brother's thigh under the table to silence him.

"Knock it off 'Ro!" Elladan grit back.

Someone suddenly cleared their throat and the brothers looked up to see Aragorn glaring at them. He raised his eyebrows indicating they needed to stop their antics and the brothers looked off and about, trying to play it off and tinkering with their silverware.

Tauriel found her anxieties had increased and she tried not to fidget. She looked to each of the many guests that surrounded the table, trying to distinguish who the Elven lord was, but the only elves she saw were the two twins and the queen. She hoped that she had heard right and the Ithilien ruler was a friend of the king and not one of his brothers.

She looked to the women of the room and noted the few ladies present. The queen was sitting a few chairs down from her to the right and watched as the empress exchanged words with a blond noble woman sitting next to her. As the queen laughed at some comment, she looked in Tauriel's direction and smiled warmly to her, welcoming her without speaking.

Tauriel felt a flash of relief within Arwen's kind smile and she sat back taking a deep breath to try and relax.

Again, she took to looking around and noted that only two chairs were empty and they were on either side of her. She gulped. When the Elven lord showed up, his seat would be next to her and this did nothing to help her apprehension.

There was a sudden loud gruff voice coming from the hallway, letting those know that the final two guests were about to appear.

* * *

Legolas trailed down the hall after the dwarf who marched toward the mess hall. The late nap he had just woken from seemed to be the best sleep he had had in weeks, but the repose was short lived as he was roused to attend dinner. While the rest did him good, it left him feeling groggy and he could not quite shake the residual sleep that clung to his mind.

Gimli was going on about some story where one of his many cousins held a dinner and….

The elf sighed. He really was not paying much attention to the dwarf. It was not that he did not care, but he could not concentrate on anything and simply focused on his steps, being very attentive and alert to his every feeling and willed the lightheaded feeling from returning.

The dwarf stepped into the dining hall and took a moment to land his sights on an empty chair. Once the dwarf was on the move again, Legolas paused just before the door and took a deep breath to try and abate the jitters that suddenly seemed to take over.

He could hear the full hall of known noblemen and high ranking people of power talking amongst themselves and he suddenly felt his body go heavy with apprehension. He did not want to do this by any stretch; to be sitting in a hall full of men, even if they were not total strangers. Every fiber in his being was demanding that he run, but he hated that he felt this way and he was so weak that even friendly and professional folk were beginning to make him uncomfortable. He really did just want to go back to his rooms, but Aragorn's demands earlier did not leave the prince with much choice in the matter. He lifted his head and squared off his shoulders, looking the part of the strong, proud, royal elf he was and strode into the hall of men while he held his breath.

He knew where the king sat and looked to the end of the table where Aragorn was stationed. There was a spark of satisfaction in the man's eyes and the elf could tell he was worried he would not show up. Legolas nodded in acknowledgement to his friend. Aragorn stood up and made his way over to the prince. He clasped him on the shoulder and Legolas returned the greeting.

"Lord Legolas! Welcome my friend!" The man said and held all the formalities due to the company in the room. Legolas reciprocated the greeting, though it was not as enthused as the man's.

"Thank you King Elessar." There was a glimmer of amusement in both of their eyes at upholding the formal charades, but the king went on about business as usual.

"I believe you know everyone present already, but there is one introduction I must make..." Aragorn turned to Tauriel and Legolas followed his gaze.

Everything in the elf's world came to a grinding halt and he suddenly felt as though he had been thrown from a horse at a full gallop. Never in a million lifetimes would he have expected to see the one before him at this moment. Tauriel sat in a chair looking at him with an expression of utter bewilderment and pure shock. Her eyes were wide with recognition and her hand was held over her mouth to hide as much of her astonishment as possible.

Legolas mirrored her expression and what little color seeped into his features previously had drained away and he stood there, frozen in complete surprise with his jaw agape.

Aragorn, as with the rest of the room, noted the reactions of both elves before a formal introduction could be made. He did not know if this was a good thing or a bad thing for the surprised looks were far from joyous. He looked between the two stunned elves and his worry began to seize up as Legolas' drained features gave the notion he was going to pass out. He gave Legolas' elbow a slight nudge to get his attention.

Legolas seemed to be jostled out of his stupor slightly and found some encouragement in the distraction and forced himself to talk.

"T.. Tauriel?"

"Legolas?!" She gasped.

"W-What are.." He turned his head to look at Aragorn, but his eyes were riveted to the red-haired elf and he redirected his face to her. This had to be a dream. Somehow his mind must surely be plagued by sleep and this scene before him was only an imagination, not reality. This could not be real… could it?

"Tauriel?" He asked again. He did not know what else to say. His mind went blank as clarity came back to him and he began to realize this was no dream. Tauriel was in fact in the hall just a few paces away from him.

"Legolas?" Aragorn asked and the prince tore his eyes away from Tauriel and looked to his friend.

"How did… Where..."

Aragorn knew that something was not right and felt the uncomfortable silence around them. All of the guests had gone quiet and turned their eyes to them. He grabbed the prince's shoulders and spun him around, gently pushing him through the door and closing it behind them. Once in the hallway, Legolas turned to Aragorn with an intense rattled gaze.

"Where did you find her?!"

"You know Tauriel?" The man sounded just as surprised as Legolas while he tried to process what was going on. Legolas only nodded his head numbly.

"How did- where did-?" Legolas stammered yet again. He could not seem to wrap his head around this sudden turn of events and his thoughts were running wildly through his mind. He could not keep a train of thought long enough to even finish a sentence.

Aragorn knew exactly what the prince was asking so he supplied the information without further prompting despite his confusion.

"She showed up here this afternoon. She said she had been living among mortals for a while and it seems she has been discriminated against for being an elf. She came here looking to reside in Minas Tirith, but, being an elf, *_I_* thought she needed to be in Ithilien. I told her she should speak with you since she... she said she was... banished?... Legolas what's going on? How do you know her?"

Legolas seemed to be coming out of his shock and passed a hand over his face before he spoke.

"_Ai Elbereth_. Do you remember... When I was talking to you about my friend?... The one I believed to be dead?"

"Yes?" The statement was more of a question, asking for more information, but Legolas just pinched the bridge of his nose as he took a deep breath. The connection hit the man and he gasped. "Oh Valar... *_She_* is your missing friend?"

Legolas looked to the man with a slightly pained expression and nodded. "Yes."

"But why-" The man was cut off as the doors to the dining hall opened quickly and a flash of blue was seen darting through the threshold. Tauriel nearly skidded as she paused before Aragorn. Her eyes were beginning to swim but she held her head up high before bowing to the king.

"King Elessar, I deeply apologize for ruining this evening for you and your guests..."

At the sound of her voice, Legolas peered around Aragorn's form and locked eyes on Tauriel. She stiffened briefly and looked off.

"My lord Legolas, I too, apologize to you. I should have known better than to seek out a place among our people. I meant no disrespect by doing so. I am so sorry." Her voice wavered as she spoke and once she was through she fled down the halls trying to remember the way to her room.

"Tauriel!" Legolas called out, but she did not heed him and pushed onward down the hall.

Without a word, Legolas set himself in motion and ran after her while leaving Aragorn behind in a cloud of confusion. The man was about to go after them when the door opened yet again and Arwen stepped out to see what was going on. The uncomfortable chatter of the guests was heard in the hall.

"Estel? What is going on?" Arwen asked.

"I... I'm not sure."

"Is everything alright?" She had so many questions of her own but Aragorn just shook his head in loss.

"I honestly am not sure what is going on. I think everything is alright... I hope everything is alright"

"Is everything alright?" Elrohir poked his head out of the door and the man sighed. He better get to the hall before all of the guests decided to come out and begin asking questions. With a final glance down the hall, he ushered everyone back into the dining room.

"Well, I apologize for that, but let us not allow that to delay dinner!" The king addressed the gathering and feigned a casual dismissal over the matter hoping that would settle any unease among his guests. He decided to leave Legolas and Tauriel alone to sort whatever confusion and questions they had. He would see to Legolas later and get the details.

* * *

The elves ran down the maze of halls and Tauriel used her sharp mind to recall the path that lead her back to her rooms. Legolas trailed a few paces behind her, trying catch up, which only spurred her rush to get to her chambers. She could not face him right now. Of all the people in Middle Earth, he was the last person she expected to see nor wanted to see. The guilt for what she had put him through so long ago ate at her and she could not bring herself to answer to him. She knew Legolas was owed at least some sort of explanation, but the sudden realization of who the Elven Ithilien lord was set her long desired hopes up in flames.

She stood no chance of reuniting with her people now and tears began to fall from her emerald eyes, blurring the path before her.

**_This was such a bad idea.**_ She kept telling herself and she visibly winced every time Legolas called out for her to halt.

Legolas was several paces away from her and tried getting her attention to stop her, but she refused to listen to him. With a flash of red and blue, Legolas watched as Tauriel flew past the door and threw the bolt into place just as he reached the wooden frame.

"Tauriel!" Legolas called out and knocked several times to get her to open the doors, but she would not listen.

"Tauriel... please! Open the door!" He pleaded, but like all of his other attempts to stop her, they went unheard. He stood there for a few moments, listening to the frantic movements just beyond the thick wooden door and he brought his hand up to begin knocking again.

"Tauriel?"

Time passed quickly before the door was suddenly pulled open and Tauriel appeared in the doorway. She had changed out of the blue dress and had clad herself in her old clothing. Her weapons were strapped on and she tried to push past the prince sternly, but Legolas caught her shoulders, forcing her to stay put.

"Tauriel, wait! Where are you going?"

"Please Legolas, let me go. I will not trouble you anymore and it was foolish for me to even come here to begin with." She tried to jerk herself free, but Legolas held her fast.

"Tauriel! Stop."

"Let me go!" She flashed her green eyes to him and there, Legolas saw a familiar pain. She was being restrained. The prince could almost feel the terrorizing trapped sensation emanating from her. He was doing to Tauriel what everyone else was doing to him. He, of all people, knew what it felt like to be trapped and pushed against one's will. Legolas let her go instantly and stepped back. Tauriel wasted no time and dashed down the hall again, this time, without pursuit, but Legolas could not help the words that left his lips.

"I have been looking *_everywhere_* for you, Tauriel!" He called out to the retreating form.

Her rushed steps faltered, then she slowed her gait to a walk. Even that decreased pace was halted and she came to a stop many feet down the hall. Before her was a vast empty aisle, promising a clean get-away, but something in her being kept her restrained. Legolas called out again.

"I have worried myself over you for the past seventy years!"

Tauriel dropped her head at those words but kept her back to Legolas as he continued talking to her in a low, almost sad tone.

"It never sat well with me what my father did to you... You were not the only one who went against orders and threatened the king, yet your sentence of banishment was carried out and I was never reprimanded for my actions. You were turned away and I was allowed to return home."

Tauriel whirled around with a trail of fire at her back as her hair flew about her. She stared at her former prince.

"You... searched for *_me_*?" her question was tainted with bitter surprise. "Why would you *_ever_* search for me, Legolas?" She did not think Legolas would have come for her, especially since she broke his heart. Tears welled up in her eyes and she began a hesitant march back to the blond elf. "You do not deserve me..." Her words were harsh from her overwhelming guilt and tears began to fall from her eyes.

Was Legolas still in love with her? After all these years had passed, did he still care for her? She knew deep down that Legolas did not deserve her, he deserved to have a mate who would never wrong him. She proved many years ago that she was not that person. Besides, she did not have a heart to give. It still belonged to someone whom she would never be able to see again….ever.

Legolas stiffened. He dealt with her rejection in silence over the course of many decades. During his solitude of wandering the wilds for some unknown ranger named Strider, he had convinced himself that what he felt for her was not really love, but just a deep friendship. However, Tauriel's harsh words stirred something in his heart. Yet just as quickly as it arose, dark thoughts assaulted his mind from the stress of the past few weeks. She was right; He did not deserve her, as used and pathetic he was, he did not deserve anyone. He clenched his jaw to fight off his own tears as Tauriel closed the distance between them she stood before him.

"Why?" Tauriel asked. There was so much pain behind that one word and the droplets that left her eyes continued to leave. Her face was sternly set as she refused to let herself sob harder than she already was.

Legolas could not tell her why. He didn't really know himself. He shook his head, not able to supply her an answer but offered some sort of an explanation.

"I was banned from finding you, as was everyone else... I always kept an open ear and eye out for you, hoping to get word that you were safe and well... No one ever saw you again. When my father sailed, I…. began to search for you." Legolas' voice dropped to a rough whisper. "I thought you were dead."

Tauriel's expression softened and she had to look away from his piercing blue eyes.

"Where have you been?" Legolas gave a nearly breathless whisper and he studied Tauriel's appearance. She was still wearing the same clothing he had last seen her in and they looked to be nothing more than rags, rather than warrior wear. A few items were added to her clothing, such as the shabby brown cloak, but even those were no better than what she wore and he instantly knew Tauriel had had a rough time since their departure.

"No where..." she said. But a soft snort was pushed through her nose and she looked back to him for a split second while she wiped the tears from her eyes. "And everywhere."

Legolas' brow creased in confused question.

"There is no place for a banished elf and I went where I could." Tauriel spoke softly but still did not look at him as she tried to gain her composure. "It has only been about seventy years, but…. it has been a long seventy years. Living with mortals has taught me that." she whispered and Legolas nodded though she did not see it.

"It has." Legolas agreed and she turned to look into his surprisingly soft and compassionate gaze.

"I am sorry for doing this to you Legolas. I… I had been hoping for so long of being able to go home and be among our own. Even if it was for a short while before the rest of the elves sailed. Banishment even prevents me from doing that... I know I am breaking the laws by trying to reside in Ithilien… but I just wanted to be with our people one last time." She began to tear up again and she took a deep breath to keep herself composed. "My intent was to seek acceptance here in Minas Tirith where elves were not discriminated against. I thought all of the elves left for the Undying Lands, but it was only until a few hours ago that I had learned of the small Elven community in Ithilien. King Elessar told me about it and he said that I should speak with you… little did I know who *_you_* were..." She shook her head at the ridiculous hope she had. "I am sorry for everything Legolas. Everything. Please know that."

She turned on her heels to leave, but Legolas reached out and grabbed her elbow and pulled her back.

"Where are you going?"

"I must leave."

"You only just got here." He countered softly.

"I cannot, and I will not, place you in this position, Legolas."

"Tauriel…." he sighed but smiled softly. "Now, why would I search for you for so long, but not allow you to join us?"

"Legolas… you cannot do that!"

"Why can't I?" his tone was even, but defiance was clearly heard.

"You cannot go against your father's judgment!"

"My father is not here." He raised his eyebrows at her to show he had a point.

"Legolas..."

"Listen, Thranduil is gone. He has no rule nor any say to the dealings that take place in Middle Earth. *_I_* am in charge, not my father, nor is this land Mirkwood so even those laws that were placed on you do not have to be upheld. This is not an Elven land. It is a mortal land, and I am simply living in it watching over our people. Everyone is looking for a new start."

Tauriel's heart hammered in her chest as Legolas spoke those words.

"Please Tauriel... Do not go. I will not turn you away and hoped that if I did find you on my searches, I could convince you come back with me."

"And how long are you going to stay there? What if I get settled and a month from now everyone decides to sail? I'll just be lost again, Legolas." She tried to use that to her advantage to get out of this, but Legolas persisted.

"You would rather give up living among your own, even for a short time, to go live... Where? Alone? Among the mortals you have just left?" Legolas' was desperate to try and get Tauriel to listen, but his tone was judgmental and Tauriel was quickly put on the defense.

"That is none of your business!" She snapped.

Legolas looked off and pushed his lips into a thin line as he tried to reason with Tauriel. He understood her worries. He was worried for it too. He knew she could not sail and allowing her to return only to be left again was a cruel fate. And yet keeping her restricted from her own was just as callous.

A faint light-headed feeling began to creep across his awareness and he took in a slow deep breath to try and push it away. This conversation could not take place here, not like this. He needed to stall Tauriel until he could sit down and speak to her further.

"Tauriel, if you want to leave, then fine. I am not your prince, king, nor lord and do not hold any command over you. You are free to go. However, I will ask you, beg you even, to please wait it out for a day or two and at least contemplate my proposition. I would hate to see you lose this opportunity, even if it is for just a short while."

Tauriel looked to the floor, but her vision was not set on it. She thought about what Legolas had just said.

There was a faint shuffling several halls down, but both elves could hear it with their heighten hearing. A gruff voice called out, though it was muddied, they could hear the questioned call.

"Legolas? Laddie? Where are ya?"

Legolas let out a sigh. "Then at least come to dinner and get something to eat before you leave." He looked to her pathetic cache of weapons. "And allow me to get you some arrows, and another knife to replace the one you lost." He noted the empty sheath next the grey metal handle sticking out from behind her quiver.

Tauriel huffed with slight irony. She gripped the handle of the remaining knife and pulled it free of its scabbard and Legolas was troubled with what he saw. There was no blade. The handle was attached to about two inches of metal then it stopped, as though the blade had been snapped off.

Tauriel pushed a frowning smile to him. "It is more for bluff than anything." She said and put the broken knife back at her waist.

"All the more reasons to wait. Please... it is not... safe out there." He tried to stress his statement without going into details. He had learned the hard way that the ideal picture of safe lands was only a concept, not reality and he could not let what had happened to him, happen to anyone, especially her.

"Legolas, I can take care of myself." She almost smiled at this.

"I know you can, but it is quite difficult to do without weapons. Besides, there are some people out there who are very..." he felt his throat pinch up as a burning began to build behind his eyes. He almost could not speak, but he found his voice and hurried what he had to say. "If they intend to harm you, then they can succeed." He finished quickly. "Just... come to dinner. I'll order some weapons to be brought to you and if you really want to leave then... go."

The husky voice and trudging steps were getting louder as the dwarf approached them.

"Please?" Legolas pleaded one more time. Tauriel brought her eyes up to meet Legolas' and she saw a tremendous raw hurt behind the deep blue spheres. Briefly, she thought it was due to the heartache induced so many years ago, but there was a hint of terror mixed with the anguish. It was almost painfully fresh. She tried to read into it more, but Legolas broke the visual contact as Gimli made his way into the hall and Legolas looked to the burly dwarf.

"There ya are lad! I hope I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" He saw Tauriel standing with the prince and she did not look at him. He felt like he was encroaching on something, but he did not leave.

"Nay Gimli... We were just finishing up and were headed to the dining room." Legolas looked back to Tauriel as if to try and get her to agree and Tauriel nodded shyly to the prince. She turned to face the dwarf and smiled sympathetically to him.

"I am sorry for keeping everyone from the meal."

"No m'lady. There is no hold up. I just wanted to check on everyone and make sure all was well." Gimli took a few more steps closer so there was not a drastic gap between himself and the elves and he smiled to the elf maiden. "I'm Gimli... Son of Gloin." He bowed to her a little bit as he introduced himself.

"I am Tauriel." She smiled to him.

"Well m'lady Tauriel, it is quite a feast th' two of you are missin' out on!"

Legolas nudged her elbow and she turned to him. He kept his voice low so the conversation could stay between them.

"Why don't you go change? Then we will head to dinner. We can talk more about this later."

Tauriel nodded her head and walked off to her chambers to get ready once again to go to the dining hall.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

* * *

The small company arrived at the dinner hall and did their best to slip into the room unnoticed. The guests were busy talking amongst themselves and they tried to act as though nothing was out of the ordinary. From time to time, peeping eyes looked up to the two elves to try and quench their curiousness and find out for themselves what had happened, but both Legolas and Tauriel looked to be settled and no longer in horrified shock.

Gimli lead the procession around the table to take up their seats with Tauriel right behind him. Legolas followed and as he brushed by the king, Aragorn reached a low hand out and placed it in the elf's line of sight to get his attention. Legolas looked to the king briefly and Aragorn flashed him a questioning look to which Legolas gave a reassuring smile and soundlessly mouthed the words 'all is well' before he pushed onward and took up the last empty chair between Elrohir and Tauriel.

The servants quickly brought out their plates and set the meal down in front of the newcomers and the three began to get themselves comfortable for the dinner. The elves smoothly unfolded their napkins and placed them in their lap while the dwarf took his and tucked it into his shirt, under his beard.

Tauriel eyed the dwarf with amusement for a napkin could serve him no purpose under his thick red facial hair but did not say anything when Gimli got down business and began to eat. Once a mouthful had been placed at his cheek, the dwarf began to chat lightly to the elf maiden beside himself, entertaining Tauriel with his grand stories of heroic adventures, Dwarven lore, and humorous tales.

Tauriel actually enjoyed the blabbering dwarf. There was a contagious easiness about him and she was glad he was present, for he gave her someone to talk lightly with. She knew dwarves still held a lot of resentment toward elves, but this one seemed to not let it bother him. She was delighted the dwarf was busy talking to her because she honestly did not know who else to talk to. Legolas sat on her other side and while she was a bit relieved by the conversation they had in the hall, she was still uneasy in his presence. There was much left to discuss with him on the matter of her rejoining the elves, and she felt she owed him a lot of apologizes. But now was not the right place nor time to hold those conversations and she kept her focus to Gimli rather than Legolas.

Legolas on the other hand seemed to be alright. There was a pleasantness on his face, but he did not say much through the course of dinner. Some lords and advisors had questions to the progress in Ithilien, which he answered fully, but other than that, he seemed to be more preoccupied by his plate than anything. He eyed the food that was brought out to him, but he had no interest with it whatsoever and he pushed it around on his plate rather than eat it. His stomach was not sitting right and even though the delicious smell of food made his mouth water, his stomach was adamantly telling him not to eat.

Just as Aragorn had predicted, people began to notice the Elven prince's lack of appetite. A few offhanded comments were made to Legolas that he must be crazy not to want to eat the delicious food, to which Legolas showed his protest by picking at some of the lighter fare that he was served. Though the cooks of Minas Tirith always did a fine job with the meals, he found he had to force himself to chew and swallow. He could feel the food travel all the way to his core where it sat and he took a few moments to see if eating was a good idea or not. After a while, he took another bite and followed the same process.

Those who knew what was going on with the prince the past few weeks watched in hidden relief as Legolas slowly, but surely, ate. A quick knowing look was passed between Elladan and Aragorn but they dropped it suddenly so as not to draw attention to it. Aragorn's sneaky plan had worked and at last the prince was eating well. They let themselves join in the conversations around them and soon, they were talking and laughing with the rest of the company.

As Legolas ate bite after bite, he concentrated his ears around the table, listening to discussions taking place all around. Business and politics were not the topic of conversation and he smiled at some of the punch lines that were told to end jokes or witty stories.

The atmosphere of the dining hall was in good spirits, however, Legolas could not help but pick up on an uneasiness. He supposed it was he who felt this way, for he had been battling depression nearly every moment for the past few weeks. Yet, the longer he felt it, the more unusual it became. It was nothing like the breath crushing feeling of his emotional dejection, nor was it the heartache caused by the sea longing. This was more of a nagging feeling of disappointment mixed with jealousy and for the life of him, he could not tell why he was picking up on it.

Beside him, a fork squeaked against the ceramic plate as the raven-haired elf stabbed at a bite-sized potato. Legolas became suddenly aware of Elrohir who sat beside him, taking his meal in complete silence. His normally relaxed appearance was tense and closed off and his food seemed to be taking the brunt of his unusual frustration. The uneasiness Legolas felt was coming from the twin and the prince could not help but ask the Elrohir about it.

"Are you alright?" He kept his tone low so the discourse could be kept between them, but the twin looked at Legolas a little bit indifferently and shrugged it off.

"Yes I am quite fine." He said coolly as he pushed a fork full of food onto his mouth and kept his eyes to his plate. Legolas knew that was an obvious lie. He looked around Elrohir to Elladan who was turned away slightly as he laughed at some comment that came from Aragorn's end of the table. Legolas assumed that there was some bad blood between the twins today and Elrohir was probably sulking about it while Elladan gloated.

Elrohir was trying to play his jealousy off, but it was harder said than done. The entire time Legolas and Tauriel were gone he became very apprehensive and found that he envied Legolas slightly. Tauriel gladly sat next the prince when they returned to the dining hall and it drove the raven haired elf mad as she had only refused to sit next to him earlier. Elrohir sighed and he picked up his knife and began to saw away at the meat on his plate and tried to ignore the innocent worry the prince was displaying towards him.

Legolas took another bite of food but kept his attention to the twin for some while, but Elrohir turned to join in his brother's conversation putting Legolas to his back and proving Legolas' theory to be incorrect. It was almost like Elrohir was upset with him, though for what reason Legolas could not even begin to guess.

Perhaps he was just over thinking things?

Legolas' attention was diverted as he heard Tauriel giggle while the dwarf's boasting voice caught his ears.

"... Why, there was one battle where I was able ta' take out forty-three of the most fierce and foul beasts ever to walk Middle Earth!" Gimli's voice rumbled in triumph. "And do you know who fell short of a dwarf?"

It was obvious Gimli had somehow indicated that Legolas was the one who lost as Tauriel turned to the blond with a hint of surprise.

"An' do ya' see those three noble elves sittin' over there?" Tauriel looked down the row as Gimli spoke. She had a wide grin on her face, guessing where this would lead and the dwarf continued.

"Even they haven't been able ta' defeat me! I tell you, as much as those pampered elves show off an' claim they are skilled fighters, they can't hold a match to me an' I recently just proved that to them in a friendly game. But don't be expectin' them to say so themselves; they will not admit to losing. It is not good for..." Gimli tapped on his head, indicating that the head or mind was what would be affected.

Legolas scowled sarcastically as he heard the tail end of what the dwarf was talking about. Tauriel chuckled to herself.

"Is that true?" She asked Legolas with a hint of teasing skepticism after seeing the way Legolas took to the comment. The prince shook his head smoothly in annoyed rejection. After he swallowed the bite in his mouth he leaned a little towards Tauriel as if to whisper to her but spoke in the same volume as the dwarf, knowing full well that Gimli could hear him. His tone was even and defiant, and at first, Tauriel thought Legolas was serious. She smiled however, when the statement proved to be a joke.

"Dwarves get rather cranky when they lose. Sometimes we have no choice but to let him win for our own sake." Legolas stated. Tauriel straightened up and giggled as the dwarf heard every word and defended himself.

"See what I mean?! He can't admit to it! He even goes to say that I cheat, which is, of course, absurd!"

Tauriel looked back to Legolas who casually shrugged his set shoulders and brought his voice closer to a whisper.

"We *_let_* him cheat..."

"Watch it now laddie! I have beaten you an' you know it. Do not tempt me to make a laughin' stock outta you in front of your friend here..." Gimli warned, but let out a grunted laugh just as quickly as he spoke.

"But it is true!" Another voice piped up and all three looked down to see Elrohir trying to lean in and be a part of the conversation. "We are not such poor fighters and incapable as the dwarf claims. Why, I even caught an arrow mid flight earlier today…" the twin smiled proudly as he looked to Tauriel, who smiled back uncomfortably.

"You?" This struck Legolas as odd. He was a bit confused for he thought the other twin was the victor in catching the arrow. Legolas thought hard for a moment, trying to remember the foggy details of the events that took place earlier. Slowly it began to come back to him and Legolas cocked an eyebrow at Elrohir. "I am pretty sure... that it was Elladan that caught it... you fired the bow."

"Well… so, *_technically_* I did not catch the arrow, but I… I was a part of it! And Elladan could not have caught it without me expertly firing it in just the right way so he could snag it easily… Yet, of the two, firing the bow has got to be the more difficult role in my opinion... and I took to it rather well!"

Legolas squinted slightly to Noldor-elf beside him. It wasn't like Elrohir to brag as he was unless it was in front of his brother, who was still preoccupied with other conversation. Elrohir began speaking again, but Legolas paid him no mind while a flash of nauseousness crept through this awareness. Legolas sat back in his chair as the sensation bubbled up. He set his fork down gently and grabbed the goblet of water, taking a couple careful sips in hopes of relieving the unpleasant feeling. After a few moments, the small amount of water seemed to ease the tautness in his belly and the prince placed the goblet back on the table in quiet relief.

"...Right Legolas?" The prince looked to Elrohir completely lost.

"What?"

"I said we hold more skills than the dwarf gives us credit for and we will just have to show Tauriel what we can do."

"Sure." he really did not have an opinion on the matter, but Legolas forced himself to smile. He no longer wanted to be a part of the conversation and he removed himself from the discussion by saying no more and looked back to his plate. Though his stomach seemed to calm down, he did not feel well and sat back in his chair, allowing the conversations to take place around him. Gimli and Tauriel eventually went back to easy chatting between the two of them while Elrohir seemed to sit back in his chair with more disappointment and began to push his food around on his plate.

From time to time, the Noldor-elf would look up and cast his sights to the red haired maiden who was kept busy by the dwarf. He wanted to try and say something to join back in the conversations, but could not seem to find a right time to jump in so he simply gave up and went back to his plate. He looked to Legolas who was sitting back and looked between him and the half eaten meal in front of the Wood-elf. His role as a healer came back to him and he began to softly talk with Legolas.

"Are you done eating?" The twin examined the plate before the prince. Legolas made good progress on the food and had consumed enough to quell the concern that was present.

Legolas just nodded.

"You know..." Elrohir's tone changed from serious to mischievous. "I think we need to teach the dwarf a lesson for constantly talking thusly about us."

Legolas did not miss a single meaning of the words as he turned to the twin and glanced at him uncertainly.

"You are asking for *_my_* help on this matter?" Legolas was not exactly known for pranks with a few exceptions when retaliating back against the fact that the master of the trade was asking for his help baffled him. "I am sure you would have better suggestions from your brother-"

"No. Leave him be. I think we could really get Gimli and teach him a lesson for making us look bad."

"Ro'... he is only teasing-"

"And I want to tease him back. He is making us look terrible in front of new company!" he wailed.

"I think Tauriel knows he is teasing as well." Legolas countered as he reached for the glass of water again. The sickly feeling began to come back to him and he did what he had done the last time to ease the sourness in his stomach. He sat back in his chair, drinking small swishes of water and concentrated on breathing slowly.

The prince listened to the ranting elf beside him as he fired off some rather harsh pranks, to which Legolas rejected. He succeeded in making the nauseousness dissipate, but it did not diminish completely and became a dull, bothersome ache in his core. A sudden warmth flashed through him and he could feel his skin becoming damp with perspiration. He did not feel well at all and thought a few moments of fresh air would help him.

"Excuse me." Legolas mumbled as he pushed his chair out and placed his napkin on the table while he got up. He walked around the table quickly and feigned as much casualness as he could muster while he left the dining room. Once in the privacy of the hall, the prince let out a deep breath and held his forearms on top of his head to try and alleviate the queasiness that was steadily building. He swallowed hard, feeling a tightening sensation in his abdomen as he attempted to push the sickness down. It did not help. In fact, it seemed to make it worse.

The prince brought a hand to clutch his stomach and he began to move swiftly through the palace to get to his rooms. Once inside, he opened the door to the balcony to try and get some fresh air. The instant the doors opened, a chilled breeze drifted through and the prince took a deep breath, but choked on the pungent smell of dehydrated leaf litter. The normally pleasant and iconic scent of Fall had now become a noxious odor that reeked of death in the perspective of the ailing elf. The rotting leaves of late autumn filled the air and further turned his sensitive stomach and he stood there, frozen, as a pressure built up inside and crept up to his chest. The slight wind continued to drift through and the cold bite in the crisp air only increased his discomfort, causing him to shiver as he had been doing for weeks.

The prince began to dread what was going to happen next. He could feel his mouth began to water thickly and his breathing came in gasps as he tried to draw in air around the pressure in his gut. In addition to the cold chills that raced through him, he began to tremble, both out of terror and stress as the elf had never been sick before. The notion of it made him fearful and he did not know what to expect nor what to do.

He turned quickly to the nearly pitch dark bathroom and leaned on the sink waiting for the inevitable... but nothing happened. He could feel bile rise to the top of his throat, but it suddenly eased and began to lower. His knees began to shake and the lightheaded feeling began to attack him simultaneously. No longer able to keep himself on his feet, the elf half sat, half fell to the bathroom floor. He fumbled in the dark for the waste hamper, dragging it in front of him while he scooted back to lean against the cool marble tub.

To Legolas, it felt like an eternity passed as he sat there, wallowing in harsh discomfort from the sickly feeling that built then dissipated constantly. He did everything he could to soothe the pain but nothing worked; Sitting erect helped only for a short while and curling over only applied more strain to the pressure in his belly. Eventually, he settled and crossed his legs with the waste bin between them as he braced his head against his cold, shaking hands. All he could do was allow the repugnant feeling to do as it willed and he reduced himself to only think about each deep breath he took, drawing it in slowly through his nose and exhaling at the same rate through his mouth.

A quiet tapping was drummed on the door, but he ignored it. He knew of only a few people who would seek him out and whomever it was would enter whether he called out or not. Secretly he wanted his friends to find him, for the skilled healers might be able to do something to cure this sickness. However his pride was just as strong willed as it had been and contradicted his desire for help for he did not want to add any more shame and weakness to his already shot dignity. Legolas simply allowed whatever to transpire as it did while he sat there doing his best to keep his stomach down. He could not move or speak at the moment and the elf curled over the pot as a gagging feeling began to worsen.

Just as the elf thought, the door cracked open and Aragorn made his way into the dark bedroom in search of the elf. Dinner had ended long ago and the guests had either retired to the hall of fire for continued company or left to go to their rooms for the evening. Legolas did not come back and seemed to be leaving in a hurry, which caused the king to worry for his actions.

The room looked at it usually did when he came to find the retreating elf. It was dark inside and the faint starlight did little to illuminate the room. The balcony doors were open attesting to the fact the Legolas at least stopped by here when he left and he was most likely was still about…. somewhere. Upon further inspection, the bed was empty, as were the chairs, and from what he could see from his vantage point, no one was on the balcony.

Then, he heard a shuddering gasp coming from the dark hole of the bathroom.

"Legolas?" He called out softly. He was baffled at the noise, for it sounded like someone was in distress in the small room, but there was no light coming from it at all. He took careful steps into the bathing chamber and as the door opened to allow some dim light through, he could barely make out the silver shimmer from the blond hair that reflected the star's heavenly glow.

"Legolas? What on earth are you doing? Are you alright?" The man's tone held some urgency in it as he could not tell what was wrong with his friend. He squinted to try and see the elf better in the dark, but abandoned trying to see only to move about, searching for the tools to light the oil lamp that hung on the wall.

Aragorn brought the small flame up, sufficiently shedding more light and he turned to the hunched form on the bathroom floor. He knelt next to his friend and tried to look into his face to read what was going on.

"Legolas?" He called out again but the elf did not move nor speak. He just sat there holding his head and trembling. The prince seemed to he in a battle of wills and the man began to realize what was going on. Aragorn got up, intending to get some medicine and items to help comfort the prince, but without warning, every muscle in the elf went rigid and he curled over the wastebasket, heaving his stomach's contents into the container.

Aragorn looked away as his own gag reflex protested, but he kept it under control and tuned back to the sick elf, leaving his actions behind. The man pulled the pale, yellow hair away from his friend's face as he continued to retch miserably. Weak groans of pain accompanied every episode, each heave getting more violent as his stomach emptied.

Aragorn chided himself mentally for not listening to the elf who had been adamant on not eating for this very reason. The king had only wanted to help the elf, thinking that pressuring Legolas to eat could only do him good. But the evidence before him proved that the elf really did mean what he said and the prince was now paying for his pushiness. The man shifted to sit beside his friend, continuing to hold his long, silken hair away from his flushed face. Aragorn rubbed his friend's back in soothing circles, all the while talking a steady stream of light encouragement to the heaving elf.

Legolas could not breathe; the violence that his body was forcing on itself crushed him and he screwed his face up in pain while tears from the pressure were squeezed from his clenched eyes and began to slide down his face. There was a certain fear beginning to set in the elf as he gasped for air frantically only to have another spasm assault him that further crushed his limited breath from his lungs. Every muscle in the elf was straining now and he gripped the pot in his lap with unknown desperation. He could hear a soothing buzz in his ear as Aragorn did everything he could to keep his mind distracted, but the words faded in and out and Legolas could not make out much of what the man was saying.

"...Just breathe Legolas… _ssshhhh… _Just breathe _mellon-nin_..."

Legolas did just that. He took a hiccupping breath, but he further gagged on the repulsive smell that was wafting up from the wastebasket in his lap. Again, the prince curved over it, adding more to its volume.

Aragorn brushed the painful tears away from the elf's face, then pressed his palm to the prince's forehead, evaluating every outward sign that could lead to a possible diagnosis. As Legolas was checked over, the elf could feel a change around him, though he could not comprehend what was going on. His world had been narrowed to pot in his lap and beyond that, nothing made much sense to him.

Suddenly, a second set of hands appeared before him. He didn't even look up at the new person, fearful if he even moved, his nausea would start all over again. The hands grabbed the pot and began to pull it away, but Legolas tightened his death grip on it, not willing to let it go. He knew he was not finished and did not want to add more to his disgrace by regurgitating all over the floor.

"I need it" He tried to say as he clung to the bowl, but his voice would not work. He tried to say it again, but even the faintest of whispers could not form and his lips trembled in silence as the only noise he could make was a tiny squeak when his straining vocal cords cracked with the effort to make a sound.

"...las? It is just…. help…for... need… alright?" Another broken soothing voice reached his ears and he could tell it was Elladan… or Elrohir… one of the twins at any rate. He could not tell them apart right now, nor did he really care to. The voice kept fading in and out while the hands that tried to remove the waste hamper gripped his own fingers and peeled them away to finally remove the used container. Legolas dully began to panic as another bout was on its way up, but the pot was replaced with a clean one and he resumed his vise-like hold on the new bowl and retched anew.

When that last wave of sickness passed, a cup was held out to him and he gave a quick shake of his head. He could not drink right now. Even the thought made his stomach churn again. There was an herbal sweetness, almost like mint coming from the cup and he closed his eyes, trying to pick up on that those calming notes. He began to sway lightly as Aragorn continued to rub his back and he dropped his head to one hand, holding it while his stomach continued to boil. His head felt too heavy to support.

Someone was talking to him again; it was one of the twins and he forced his eyes open and watched as one of the Noldor-elves crouched in front of him and spoke. He watched the lips move, trying to read them as his hearing was not working and he caught a piece of what he was trying to say.

"Not need to drink…..rinse out your mouth." Is the only thing he was able to piece together and with a quaking hand, he reached for the offered cup. He unsteadily brought it to his mouth where the glass clinked on his teeth and water sloshed everywhere.

The twin reached to stabilize the glass and help Legolas hold the cup still as he took a mouthful of the clean liquid and swished it about before spitting it in the pot in his lap. The cup was placed on the floor beside him for another use and the Noldor-twin got up and busied himself with some unseen task in the bedroom.

Legolas remained on the bathroom floor for a long while, letting the sickening spasms come and go until there was nothing left to bring up, which was replaced with an agonizing period of dry heaving. By the time that ended, his head was sharply throbbing and his strength was spent.

Again, the hands returned to ease the pot away from his lap and the prince let it go, hoping another one would appear, but nothing took its place. He could feel Aragorn's hands at his back stop their soothing motions and the man shifted his stance. He was talking to the prince once more, but the words were indecipherable to the exhausted elf and he continued to sit there holding his pounding head.

With gentle care, Aragorn got to a kneeling position and supported the elf's back with one arm and the other hooked under the elf's knees, awkwardly lifting the prince off of the floor and carried him out of the bathing chambers.

Legolas did not have the any sort of stamina to resist and he felt too sick to be embarrassed over being carried. Aragorn took his friend to the bed that had been remade and turned down for him. There, the puny elf was laid on the soft mattress, flat on his back, but Legolas shook his head vehemently as he felt another round of gagging began to build. He tried to scramble up right, but Aragorn came to his aid, lifting the prince into a sitting position. A clean pot magically appeared before him which he took without question and heaved dryly into the basin. As Legolas choked and sputtered, more pillows were brought in and stacked behind him. When the spasms halted, he was pressed back against the mountain of cushioning and he leaned heavily into the plushness around him.

Aragorn sat on the bed beside the elf and placed a cool wet cloth over his flushed forehead. He watched him worriedly for a while. Legolas' ragged breathing was not calming down and he continued to hold his stomach with one hand. His face was scrunched in pain from the ache in his abdomen and the throbbing in his head.

"Legolas? I need for you to drink some water." The man said quietly.

"I can't." The elf's voice broke and cracked with the few words spoken.

"I have placed medicine in it to help ease the ache. It will help with your head too." He encouraged.

"I do not think I can keep it down, Strider."

Aragorn's worry twisted. He hated to see Legolas like this. "You need to try _mellon-nin_. After all of that, you need to take some fluid. You will dehydrate swiftly if you do not and your headache will only get worse, among other things. Just take a small sip for now and see how it sits."

Aragorn grabbed a cup that had been placed on the nightstand and held it out to the prince who gripped it with uncertain fingers. The cup slid a bit in the elf's hand but Aragorn caught it and brought it up to the elf's lips, tipping it back and allowing the elf to take a few small sips, then lowered it and set it on the night stand. Elladan was nearby and handed the man a clean basin and stayed close, just in case assistance was needed. They were tense with apprehension while they watched the prince.

After a while, they were put at ease when they realized the prince was not going to retch. Aragorn encouraged Legolas to drink some more of the herbal water and after several rounds of careful sips, the small cup had been drained and their efforts were rewarded with a relaxed elf on the bed. The ache in his stomach seemed to lighten and his struggle for breath became loose. His throbbing headache had dissipated as well and they left the prince alone to drift off into some much needed rest.

Elrohir appeared and placed a pitcher of water on the nightstand should the Wood-elf need some water during the night and the three backed away from the bed. They went about tidying up the space and packing away the healing herbs they had pulled out. Aragon went to the bathroom to wash the cup out. As he scrubbed the glass, his thoughts drifted over the events of the day and his eyes began to sting with tears. He had seen the prince earlier, outside with the dwarf, and he thought his friend was finally on the mend. But what the man just witnessed spoke a different truth. A drop of moisture left the man's eyes just as one of the twins came in to wash the basin out.

"Estel?" Elladan caught sight of the drop and set the pot down to comfort his brother. "What is wrong?"

The man just looked to his brother, allowing the full force of his anguish to be seen in his eyes as he spoke. "Everything I am doing is not enough..." the man whispered as his throat began to tighten up. "He is fading... isn't he?"

Elladan just stood there not sure what to say. It seemed his own fears on the prince's fate were beginning to be confirmed. He just placed a hand on his brother's shoulder as the man continued to speak softly.

"I just wish there was more I could do… I have not been able to dedicate a lot of time to his care lately. I am trying to, but if I get a moment, something with the kingdom comes up. I cannot find a good balance between duties and family, and he is suffering. I am constantly in meetings and other than sitting with him before breakfast each morning and sometimes in the evenings, I find that time is slipping away and so is he… I have not been able to truly help him. I do not know what to do."

"Estel. Do not blame yourself for this. You are doing what you can. *_We_* are doing all we-"

"But it is not enough! I know you and Ro' are helping as well, but..." the man paused as another tear left his eyes and he wiped it away. "He is getting worse every day. And then when I do try to help, it is as if he does not want it. He is pushing us away. And now this..." the man shook his head as he gave the cup a final rinse and set it on the sink. "I do not know what to do with this. If he cannot eat…" the man let out a sigh in confused frustration. "I saw him outside with Gimli this afternoon and I honestly thought he was getting better… I was so relieved with the change I saw in him."

"I know Estel... I know. We all were beginning to think that way too, but this not your doing." The twin took in a deep breath to try and calm himself before he spoke again. "I am not sure if there will ever be enough that anyone can do for him." the Noldor-elf added quietly and Aragorn looked sharply to the elf as he caught his full meaning.

"There has to be! I cannot... No!….He has always been there for me… I cannot let that happen! I am trying to be there for him - He can't!" The man's composure was starting to falter as he began to realize his friend most likely would not make it through this. Elladan spoke calmly to his adopted brother. He hated to admit it but he had no choice.

"Estel, this matter is simply out of everyone's control. I know you do not want to lose him. I do not either. I wish I could tell you something different, that everything will be ok and that he will be better in a few days. I kept hoping for that myself, but… This is what happened to _Nana_. She could not eat, she could not sleep, she could not find happiness nor peace here and even though she tried to hold on, she could not… I am not telling you this to make you upset and I do not want your hopes to be crushed, but... I think we need to start looking into other options for him."

"Like what?" Another tear left the man's eyes and the Noldor-elf worked hard to suppress his own emotions. Elladan couldn't speak for a moment. He knew this would break his brother's heart but he whispered to the man.

"He may need to go."

"...You mean….." The man could not finish and the elf just nodded. "But I have asked Legolas if he wants to sail and he says he does not."

"Does he really not want to sail? Or is he just saying that?"

The man dropped his gaze. He had hoped Legolas was speaking the truth to him all along, but his brother brought up a valid point and his heart dropped. He looked back to his brother and saw the same tears in the elf's gray eyes that watched him back.

"I..." the man shook his head in denial. He could not lose Legolas.

"Estel, I know this hurts you. But what would hurt more…. knowing Legolas faded away to the Halls of Mandos and suffered through it for however long it will take, or placing him on a ship that will take him home?"

The man clenched his jaw at the idea. Of course he would never keep Legolas here against his will and would do whatever it took to make sure the elf was safe, happy and well. But the decision that needed to be made tore his heart up regardless and the man swallowed the lump in his throat.

Elrohir entered the bathroom with the rag that was on the prince's head. He pushed his way to the sink to re-wet the cloth. He felt the seriousness between his siblings and looked between them with uncertainty.

"What is going on?"

"We are talking about Legolas..." Elladan said quietly and the twin wrung the water out of the cloth. He placed it on the sink and just nodded. Elrohir did not know where they were in their conversation and he did not want to be the one to tell his brother that the elf prince was not doing well.

"Is there no other way?" The man was trying to hold on to a thread of hope.

"Unless he can cope and find the peace he needs here…" Elladan offered.

"How long does he have?"

"I do not really know. _Nana_ lasted a year before she finally sailed. I do not know if Legolas will have as much time or not. I guess it really depends on the person and their situation."

"Yet, we need to keep him here until at least spring." Elrohir added. "He cannot sail now for it is far too dangerous. The winter winds will be here soon and that is said to make sailing a death wish." Elladan nodded in agreement to what his twin added.

"Will he last that long?" Aragorn looked between his two brothers who shrugged to his question for they really did not know. "Then, what do I do?" Aragorn asked.

"We… What do *_we_* need to do." Elladan corrected. "You are not alone in this Estel. We can help you and him if allowed. I know you love him like a brother… but so do we. This stress goes to all of us not just you… for now, let him rest and recover from all that just took place. You need to get through the Last Harvest Feast and give your attentions to your guests and kingdom. After everything settles down, we will find a time to have a serious talk with Legolas."

Aragorn took a deep breath and nodded in agreement.

"Estel, just take this one day at a time, alright? He is not going anywhere for a while so try not to worry yourself over this." Elladan reached out and gathered his hurting brother in his arms and gave him a tight reassuring hug.

"And who knows, Legolas may pull through yet..." Elrohir offered.

"Do you think?" The man's eyes lit up with hope briefly.

"We will just have to talk with him." Elladan reiterated and he let his brother go.

Aragorn took another calming breath then grabbed the washcloth that was on the sink and made his way carefully over to the bed that held the sleeping Wood-elf. With gentle movements, he rested the cold cloth over his friend's forehead again and began to remove the leather boots once more as Legolas continued to sleep. He pulled the covers up around the elf to keep him warm. Aragorn paused for a moment, looking at the elf's blanched features and he felt the burning sensation begin behind his eyes as his brothers words replayed in his mind.

**_...What would hurt more…. knowing Legolas faded away to the Halls of Mandos and suffered through it for however long it will take, or setting him on a ship that will take him home?_**

The man let out another sigh and placed his hand on the prince's shoulder.

"Please Legolas..." his whispered words choked. "Please don't..." He didn't know what he was really asking the elf, but he wanted to beg him not go. Despite the conversation in the bathroom, he still felt there had to be a way to keep his friend here and help him through this. As he watched the sleeping elf, he raced through what seemed like a million ideas and possibilities, but he still came up empty handed on a resolution and the man brought his hand up to his face to wipe a tear from his face that he just realized that was shed.

A hand on the man's shoulder made him jump slightly as one of his brothers came up behind him.

"Estel..." Elladan applied pressure on the man's shoulder and began to pull him away from the bed "Let him be. He needs to rest."

Aragorn moved away and made his way to the chairs that were in the living space of the room and sat down in one of them.

"Why don't you go get some rest?" Elladan asked the man, but Aragorn shook his head. "You have had a long day, and will have an even longer one tomorrow. Go get some sleep, Estel"

"I want to keep an eye on him and make sure he will be alright. I do not want to leave him alone."

"Ro' and I did not intend to leave him alone. One of us will be here - all night. Go get some sleep, Estel."

The man huffed but gave in. He knew he had a ton to do tomorrow and could not afford to be tired and not able to pay attention to the details of meetings.

"Will you come get me if anything happens?" Aragorn requested and his brothers nodded.

"Of course." Elladan nodded deeply in hopes of reassuring his brother. He walked his adoptive brother to the door. "Do not fret Estel. I know you are worried, but all we need to do is talk to him." The eldest twin gave the man another tight embrace to try and put him at ease before Aragorn turned and left to go to his rooms.

Elladan closed the doors and made his way back to his twin and he sank into one of the chairs opposite of his twin. Neither spoke for a while and they both drifted off into their own thoughts for a time. Finally, Elladan broke the silence.

"It is getting rather late… what watch do you want to take?"

Elrohir shrugged. "It matters not to me… I can take the first one, though I would rather get out of this formalwear and into something more comfortable." The elf rose from his seat and made for the doors and went to his chambers to change. He put on the Gondorian tunic he had been wearing earlier as the arid garment fit loosely and comfortably. Once in new clothing, he stopped in the library to get a book to occupy his quiet time and returned to the Wood-elf's chambers to take his watch.

Once his brother left, Elrohir did a quick check on the patient on the bed, mindful not to wake him, then got himself set up. He opened one of the drapes near his chair to allow more starlight to flood through, illuminating the soft white pages of the book he had picked out. He opened the thick novel to page one, and lost himself for the better part of the night in the woven words.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

* * *

_Legolas traveled a familiar route and he looked around the forest, noting that fall was in full swing. The trees were in the midst of their colorful glory and the vibrant colors of rusts-reds, golden-yellows and flaming-oranges replaced the normal dark green hues that saturated the woods. It had only been a few weeks ago that the forests were buzzing with life, but now the prince found the woodscapes across Middle Earth were becoming heavy with sleep as the cold months of winter approached. _

_It was amazing how the lands could change so fast. _

_Legolas smiled to himself as he reflected back over the course of the year to recall all that had happened and everything he and his people accomplished. Restoring the once rich southern forests was no light undertaking, but the Wood-elves had been busier than ever and made a great push this growing season to make a noticeable dent in progress. Thankfully, it paid off. The decrepit woods that were hanging on to only faint hopes were starting to take a strong root and now that hope had sprouted, so could new life._

_But Fall had arrived and it was signaling to them that it was time to halt. His people deserved the much needed break and a chance to celebrate their victories rather than hope for better prospects come spring. After some time to marvel over their work, it would be time to return to Osgiliath to lend a hand to Faramir and his city for a time._

_Legolas was beaming with pride as he passed through the forests alone, but he was too restless to celebrate with his people right now. Time was passing as it faithfully did and he felt as though his long carried hopes were running out of it. He needed to go north again._

_Though he had already made a few of these trips this year, his heart kept calling out to him and created a deep desire to travel once more before the first snows closed in. He knew it was going to be a close call for the signs of an early winter were very clear, but something in him would not rest until he made it back north once more. His heart was set on one goal and he could not stop thinking about it._

_Tauriel._

_His pulse raced every time he thought of her. It always had. It didn't matter if she did not feel the same way for him nor did it matter how much time had passed. While the last memory of her hurt him deeply, he made himself give into his own idea that they were nothing more than friends despite every protest his aching heart made. Legolas knew he could not have her, and Tauriel could not have the one she wanted either. Both were devastated after the battle at Raven Hill and their lives changed drastically within a matter of moments. She simply vanished without a trace while he left all he knew behind._

_But Legolas only took time away from his home and father to find an inner peace and cope with the rejection. Eventually, he stumbled upon the one named Strider and ended up forming a lifelong friendship with the mortal after spending quite a few years with the ranger. He never once spoke of Tauriel and dealt with the heartache on his own, keeping it secret even up until this very moment._

_When he was ready to go home years later, he was allowed to do so. Tauriel on the other hand was not permitted back on any Elven territory and Legolas learned of her still imposed banishment upon his return. He couldn't believe his father could be so heartless as to keep her away from her people and Legolas immediately set to work on finding her. However, the Woodland King - his own father - put an end to it quickly. Thranduil would not allow his son, or anyone, to search for the one who had turned against her own king and abandoned her sworn duties of protecting the one she herself threatened._

_Legolas took a deep breath as the long felt emotions came racing back. He hoped beyond hope this journey would bring him success and he would find Tauriel, safe and well after all the years had passed without a single hint of her presence anywhere. Once his father left Middle Earth, Legolas wasted no time and set out on his first journey to try and find her. But that trip, like all the others, turned up only doubt and questions rather than hope and answers._

_Part of him knew it was foolish to attempt to find Tauriel, but he simply could not listen to that. He would search for her until he was sure she was no longer in Middle Earth, and just because he could not find a sign of her did not give him any reason why she would not be around._

_Or so he hoped._

_Legolas pulled himself from his thoughts and bent low to give the broad neck of his tackless, midnight-black mare a sturdy pat of fond appreciation. He chose this horse for his latest trek rather than Arod, his most trusted steed, since the noble stallion already bore him to the far way northlands several times this year. The strong animal was slowing down due to age and the elf knew a rest was in order for the Rohirrim charger. The prince refused to take Arod, even though the white horse expressed his willingness to go._

_The black mare, Kuru, seemed encouraged by the pat and began to prance anew. She had an energetic and bouncy gait, ideal for making quick travel across the lands and Legolas gripped the shaggy, thick mane of the animal to keep himself on her bare back as they went onward._

_They had made good time and covered a lot of ground. The once thick dense forests of his new homeland were beginning to grow thin as he approached the open plains that bordered the land of Rohan. Though they were still many leagues from that realm, they were getting closer with each passing moment._

_A break in the trees provided an unrestricted view of the late evening sky. Daylight was running shorter and the sun lost a certain intensity that it was known to carry in the dead of summer. The bright orb painted the lands with soft warm rays as it made its way to the western horizon, but the aureate light caught in a barrier of thick, dark clouds to the east, causing them to look even more menacing as they approached. _

_Legolas had no idea that a storm was on the move, but the wind picked up and carried a dense, earthy scent to him. His heightened elven senses could decipher the heavy rain that fell on distant lands as the moisture caused the subtle notes of the forest to intensify. _

_He recalled a few places that were relatively close in location where unique rock outcroppings created a series of deep shelves that would provide ideal coverage from the deluge that was on its way. He gave the giddy horse under him a firm squeeze with his legs, asking her to pick up the pace so they could outrun the storm. The mare obliged him and took off in a casual canter that carried them for some distance._

_The winds were transforming from a light occasional puff to a continuous breeze. The leaves were rattling as they swayed in the waves of air, voicing their knowledge that drastic changes were well on their way. But the constant rustle sparked an edgy dread within the elf. He could not explain it, but something didn't sit well with him. Surely the storm had an unbalanced energy and this was bound to be a sloppy night. Legolas chalked his unusual caution to the weather and pressed on. _

_But the feeling did not fade with his newly found theory. It almost felt as though he was being watched, but that was silly. Even up to this point he had not come across any travelers and all signs of life within the woods were contained to the plants and animals he encountered enroute north. _

_The elf gave another squeeze with his legs, asking once more for the horse to pick up her already quick pace as he kept a close eye to his back at all times. He could not shake the feeling of eyes on him, but knew if there were others about, it would be in his best interest to avoid them._

_The black mare carried him to a stream where they stopped only for a quick drink before the horse crossed the shallow water and they continued hesitantly through the forest. Many more miles of terrain were covered then Legolas leaned back on the horse's bare haunches, giving the animal the silent command to slow down, allowing her to walk for a while. It seemed they were making great progress and it would not be long before they reached the dry safety of the rock outcroppings._

_An unnatural noise snagged the elf's keen ears and he turned towards it as he listened. Harsh voices were low, but the dense foliage muddled the speech into tones rather than words. Whoever it was, was not happy and they were not far away._

_The elf turned back to their path and began to encourage the horse to leave, but their motion was checked by a sudden shout that stunned the life within the forest. _

"_HELP!" An eery silence filled the forest after the call and a shiver raced down the elf's spine. Legolas turned once more, detecting the urgent cry to the area where he was listening to only seconds before. "Is anyone out there?! Someone, please help!"_

_All the elf could feel was a tingle of alarm._

"_Please! Help! HELP!"_

_Someone was frantic for a response and when no one answered the call, it tugged at the elf's basic instincts. He had been trained his whole life to never turn his back on those in need of help, and he found he couldn't do it now. Reluctantly, the elf ignored the warning and Legolas nudged the horse in the direction of the call with caution._

_The shouts were becoming more and more frequent the longer Legolas prolonged his response, but this just did not feel right. Regardless, he stopped the horse and slid soundlessly off of her back. With a few quite Elven words, he bid the horse to wait there for him until he could determine if it was safe and the horse found some brush to take cover._

_Legolas pulled the bow off of his back and plucked an arrow from his quiver. He did not arm his weapon just yet, but he made sure he was ready to be on the safe side. The strange calls for help were were becoming panicked and Legolas tentatively sprang into action. He could not find it in him to leave an innocent person to be left stranded and he had yet to find out if they were friend or foe._

_He took to the trees for safety. Despite the muted green and brown in his clothing, he blended well with the golden leaves of a tall poplar. He walked sure footed on the narrow branches until he could peer through the vibrant canopy. From his vantage point, he saw two men below. One was a large man and he was sitting on the ground, curled over his leg. He was gripping it at the knee and rocking back and forth while the other man, who was tall and fit, seemed to be trying to aid him. The fit man called out again for help and the elf advanced, keeping his place in the trees. He could see their clothing that marked them as Gondorian soldiers and he was baffled for a moment._

_**_Why would Gondor's men be this far north?_** Legolas thought. This was becoming quite bizarre. It took him a moment to displace his unease, but he called out to the men. "Hail! Who are you and what are you in need of help with?!" _

_The men looked up to the trees and let out an audible sigh of relief. The fit man stood and fully faced the arboraceous elf. He held a hand out to wave, signaling their position frantically. _

"_Hail to you too! My Name is Dreager and my comrade here fell from his horse. I think he broke his leg! We don't have medical supplies as our horses ran off. I can't leave him here to go catch 'em."_

_Legolas looked about the area. Something was amiss, but was unable to decipher his unease. _

_"What happened? Are you sure your leg is broken?" the elf asked._

_"Well, it hurts like a spawn-of-a-orc and I can't put any weight on it... Ouch!" the man cried out and gripped his leg harder just above the knee._

"_Where is the rest of your patrol?" Legolas questioned. Surely their platoon would be better prepared to help._

"_We are not part of a patrol." The large man said and looked up from his injury with a hint of startled surprise, completely forgetting about the intense agony he was just in. He he glanced to his comrade who spoke up quickly._

"_We uh… We took a leave from our company… we are traveling home for a visit with family." Dreager said quickly._

_The elf's eyes squinted in thought. "You are quite a ways from Minas Tirith or Osgiliath." Legolas commented. Soldiers typically lived in the large cities where they were stationed so they could be called upon at a moment's notice._

"_Can't help where you were born." Dreager replied in mild __defense and he walked up to the tree that Legolas was standing in._ _He glanced up through the dancing tawny leaves to the elf and continued speaking. "I have no wife, nor kids so my family remains on the borders of Rohan and Gondor and it is my sister and ailing mother that I wish to see." Dreager's eyes shifted between the piercing blue ones of the elf to see if any doubt was picked up in the reply._

_The prince looked at the two men for a moment trying to reason with the non-faulty information, but he just could not explain the unease he had. He looked off briefly and he spotted the ominous eastern sky. The storm was approaching and was not far off. As if to validate that thought, a gust of wind tore through the woods. It whipped the leaves into a fluttering frenzy and flung Legolas' flaxen hair about his face. He had to restep a few times as the the branch he was perched on began to sway with the wind's force. The weather was going to turn dangerous soon. If he was going to help, he needed to act now._

_Reluctantly, the elf left the tree and dropped to the ground in a crouch a few a paces away from Dreager. He stood and approached, but kept himself a safe distance back to retain his high guard. The prince held his arrow in lose fingers, showing the men he had weapons ready to use, but the ease in which he handled them offset any tension. _

"_Are you brothers?" Legolas asked. He supposed it was a silly question, but his curiosity was sparked when one man openly shared his family matters while the injured one did not say much._

_The large man resumed rocking back and forth to cope with the intensity of his injury. "We're partners." He said with pained effort._

"_*__Business__* partners." Dreager corrected sternly. He smiled sheepishly to the elf while rubbing the back of his own neck with his hand, subconsciously projecting discomfort. "Not like that. I take no man as a partner in life." He almost laughed, but he seemed to be more nervous than humored._

_The topic of conversation made the elf feel uneasy. He did not care what these men's preferences were with their personal life. He strayed away from that subject. "I thought you were soldiers…. What business do you conduct under your king's uniform?"_

"_*Were* business partners." Dreager corrected quickly. "We left the trades a while back. Got better jobs as soldiers."_

_The elf regarded the men skeptically, but he could not find any conflicting information with what they supplied. Though he was hesitant, he stepped closer to the men._

_"You say you have no medical supplies?" Legolas asked and Dreager shook his head._

_"Had plenty of it in my pack, but it's run off!"_

"_What happened? Why were you thrown?" the prince asked the large man. But again, Dreager answered for him._

"_No clue!" Dreager shrugged. "The horse was fine one moment, but I guess he just got spooked and took off."_

"_Where is your horse?" The question was now specifically for Dreager and the man looked off as he spoke carefully._

"_I uh…. I dismounted to help, but mine ran off too." Dreager seemed to have enough of being interrogated and fired off an inquiry to the elf. "Can you help us or not? Questions are not going to help his leg."_

_Legolas shrugged off the rude statement when he realized his reluctance to help. It wasn't that he did not want to give aid, but there was a nagging feeling in his core to be on the watch. He did not like it. It felt as though danger was lurking about… close to them, yet unseen. Perhaps that was the reason why their horses were spooked off to begin with. After a split second of internal debating, the prince placed his weapons at his back to free up his hands, allowing him to work fast and he came forward._

_"Alright. I am no healer, but I can aid you enough to get you to a nearby town." _

"_Now, hold up there... You've been the one asking all the questions… We thank you for your help, but... who are you?" Dreager said and crossed his arms. The elf gave a shallow smile and halted. _

"_Greenleaf." He said and nodded in a casual greeting. Since he was alone, he dare not declare his real identity and he used the common speech to pronounce his name. "I too am headed north, but I seek a friend."_

"_You're an elf..." It was not a question, but an almost pleasant observation made by Dreager. He looked the elf up and down, slowly evaluating him with a thin grin._

"_I am." Legolas said a bit tartly and took a slight step back. He hated the prejudices that elves were always placed under for being of a different race than the humans that now predominantly composed Middle Earth. It was not long ago that the first born race was respected and well known, but as the elves dwindled in numbers, so did the acceptance of those whom had little contact with them. "Does it matter to you that I am? I can leave if it bothers you." The elf offered dryly._

"_No!" Dreager backpedaled in his speech. "Was a comment… that's all. I meant not insult by it, but I apologize all the same if you're offended. I just haven't seen 'em around. Your kind is rare."_

_The term 'your kind' struck the elf, but he shook it off. He supposed manners were going to be hard to come by with this one. The elf brushed past Dreager and made for the larger man. He was done talking to Dreager if it could be helped and hoped the other man, though injured, had a better set of customs. Besides, the sooner the man was helped, the sooner Legolas could leave. _

"_What are your horse's names?" The question came out as a demand and the large disabled man stammered as he cast his sights to the ground._

_"Uh… duuu…. Tripper and..."_

_"Dunn" Dreager approached his comrade and spoke quickly. The hesitancy in which the men offered their steeds names was odd, but the elf nodded before he turned to the tree line and called to his own horse._

_"Kuru! Tolo! (come)" He shouted out in Elvish and the midnight mare pranced through the brush. She made for the elf and placed her broad rounded nose in his upturned palm. "I need your help. These two have lost their horses. Can you help us in finding them?" he asked in Sindarin and the horse bounced her head. She walked off into the forest in search of the lost horses._

_Legolas turned to the two stunned men. Elves were few in these lands and the prince was sure the two soldiers had never witnessed the abilities that elves were graced with. The elf smirked slightly in thought… 'his kind' *was* rare. _

_"That was my horse. I have sent her to search for your steeds and she will bring them back if she can find them. In the meantime, we need to splint your leg so you can ride. A storm is approaching. We need to get you on your way." Legolas turned to Dreager. "Look around for some sturdy branches that we can use to help brace the leg. Do you have any cloth? An old shirt or a cloak?"_

_"Well... we can use his cloak..." Dreager went to his comrade and unclasped the material from the burly soldier. The large man began to protest, but Dreager gave him a private, stern look before he passed the cloak to the elf._

_Dreager went about looking for some long thick sticks and branches that had fallen from the winds and handed them to the elf. The prince took them and began to measure the length, using his long white-handled knives to cut the branches that were too long. That done, Legolas began to rip the cloak into strips of cloth, much to the large man's horror._

_"No! Don't!" the large man yelled. He could not believe that his cloak was being destroyed, but the elf reassured him._

_"We need to splint your leg and have no other means to do so. It is alright, just calm down and let me help you. This will not take long and then you can be on your way to get better care." Legolas could feel himself giving this man a reassuring smile and went back to work._

_"Hey," Dreager approached the elf. "Let me see that piece of cloth. It looks a little wide." Dreager helped himself to the pile of cloth strips the elf had ripped and grabbed one. He stepped behind Legolas so he would not hinder the elf's concentration and the man began to fiddle with fabric._

_"Do not make it too thin." The elf warned. "We need it to support the leg and if it is too thin, it will be of little help."_

_Just as the elf spoke, Dreager crouched behind the prince. In a swift, fluid motion the man pressed a wadded up, wet cloth to Legolas' face. Dreager wrapped his arms around the lithe being, attempting to constrict the fight that would erupt and pulled the elf against him to cut off any room to struggle. _

_The prince dropped what he was doing and began to fight. He grabbing the hands at his face, trying to pry them off. He squirmed and attempted to roll away, but he was held too firmly. _

_Dreager used all of his force to keep the material at the elf's face and ground it painfully into Legolas' mouth and nose as the elf fought. The material the elf had ripped up was now soaked in a fluid and the prince dared not breathe for he became aware this was a trick. The damp substance soaking the cloth could only be a drug of sorts._

_The large man got to his feet quickly, showing that he did not have a broken leg. In fact, he was not hurt at all. It was a well thought out ploy and the elf had fallen into the trap. The large man tried to grip the struggling elf, but a swift kick to the man's kneecaps sent the man to ground with a howl of pain._

_Legolas grappled with the man behind him. His heart was pounding and he could feel his lungs screaming for need of air, but he was determined not to give in and fought hard. He shifted left, then right with surprising speed and the man behind him began to lose his grip on the thrashing elf._

_Legolas succeeded in pushing the hands and rag away from his face and he gulped for air. But even as he did so, he knew it was a mistake. The sticky residue of the drug had been smeared all over his face and when he took a deep breath, he could feel the burning of the potent fumes enter his lungs. His mind instantly went hazy and he had a hard time concentrating on anything anymore. He knew he had to get away quickly. Without any hint of hesitancy, the elf turned to throw a cross swing at Dreager and knocked him in the temple. Legolas scrambled to his feet to make a run for it._

_As the elf took off towards the forest, the large man grabbed one of the poles that were intended to splint his fibbed broken leg and shoved it at the elf's feet who clumsily tripped over them in his foggy state. He tried to catch himself, but his attackers bore down on him and tackled the elf to the ground, pinning the slight body on his back with their hefty weight._

_The rag was brought to his face again and Legolas tried to dodge it, but had no room to turn against the hard ground beneath him. With little effort, the drug soaked cloth was quickly pressed back over his face. _

_The elf refused to breathe and the large man landed a solid punch to the elf's stomach. All of the air was forced from his lungs and instinctively, Legolas drew in air against his will. The stimulant that entered his system took effect immediately and the elf could feel himself losing control of his body. Numbness surged forth and his struggles were rapidly declining. His thoughts were becoming hard to harness while his vision blurred._

_The last thing Legolas could see was the dignified Gondorian symbol that decorated the front of his captor's tunics. Everything began to fade away, but the bright white tree was glowing through the darkness of the induced haze. The seven stars that were over top of the upturned bare branches seemed to be twinkling with real light. As his world gave way to darkness and his body went slack, the white tree and stars lingered for a moment in his mind, then vanished with the rest of his senses._

_Ideas and scenes began to flit before his awareness and faded in and out constantly. He knew them to be reality, but he could not place anything in time or space as the hazy world flashed about him._

_The colorful tree tops were blowing in golden sunshine as the wind picked up again. The scent of rain was heavy and a storm was near._

_The scene faded out._

_He came back to, and it was darker outside. The once blue sky was gray and he could feel a cold prickling against his exposed face as the rain fell and drenched him._

_Everything went black._

_He opened his eyes amid a torrential down pour of icy cold rain. He found that he was being carried along somehow and watched the muddy puddles in the forest floor ripple with pelting raindrops as the ground passed by beneath him. A roll of thunder rumbled through the air._

_His senses fled._

_A painful impact burst through his tentative awareness as he was dropped to a rocky floor._

_All went black._

_There were others in what seemed to be a cave. Salves. Each one was in a set of iron shackles that were driven into the rock that surrounded them, making sure they could not escape. Their features could only be seen when a bolt of lightning sent a blinding flash through the shallow cave they were in._

_Legolas' consciousness stayed with him, though he could not quite get out of limbo and the elf struggled with his mind as much as his body to make them both work right. He found that he had been bound as well and an unrelenting coil of rope had been tied off painfully tight around his wrists._

_He could hear the voices of his captors, but could not see them as they were behind him. They stepped up to the waking elf and the words they spoke made little sense, but caused his fear to grow nonetheless._

"_He's up."_

"_Finally! We need to test him out before we can actually charge for him. What do you think?"_

_There was a pause before the other spoke._

"_But… he's… he's a man." the words were said to offer some sort of counter, but it was dismissed._

"_Not a man… an elf."_

"_Still… he is a male. You think he would be… wanted? Why don't we just use some of the women we captured?"_

"_When was the last time you fucked an elf?" There was no response to the question. "And there's my point. I doubt many will pass up the opportunity to have their way with a rare, exotic creature - no matter what it is, male or female alike."_

_The other let out a sigh as he thought. "I don't know… You do not see males in brothels. It is the company of women that men are after."_

"_We're offering pleasure, not company."_

"_I…. I just think he will be more trouble than he is worth. It is said elves are dangerous."_

"_That's dangerous?" He asked skeptically and pointed to the bound and helpless elf struggling with consciousness on the rocky floor. A snort of amusement was pushed through his nose. "Well, we will give it a try. It's not like we are losing out. We got him free of any charges. This will be pure profit. And if he is a hassle, then… we'll dispose him and move on… Agreed?... besides... look at him." The argumentative voice gave way to darkly delicious tone. "Even if he is male, he will sell quickly - he is too pretty not to… Just gotta find the right clientele, that's all… But I'm first."_

_Cold hands gripped the elf's wet clothing and regardless of his struggles, Legolas could feel his leggings being pulled down. With a quick shove, he was once again flat on his back and his legs were firmly pushed up while his upper body was pinned by another man. He could feel his every muscle straining to get away, but his attempts did not save him as the drugs that continued to course through him attacked his ability to fight back adequately. His movements were restricted by both his bonds and captures._

"_Let's see if we can make him scream. People will pay good money for that."_

_A cold drizzle of what could only be oil was felt on the vulnerable, secret part of his body to make the way easier for his captors before a hand made a quick pass to smear the slick thoroughly across his passage. The next moment, his untried aperture was brutally impaled._

_Legolas tried to scream, but it was caught by a gag that had been in his mouth all along. _

"_What luck! Screaming already!" One gave sickening laugh. "We are gonna make a ton of money off this one!" he sneered with glee._

"_We can sell the rest of the slaves off… but this one-"_

"_This one... will work... for us for a while." The voice halted between groans of delight as he began a rocked motion to peak his twisted pleasure._

_Legolas brought his teary sights to the hulking forms leaning over him. All he could see was the same black tunic with a silvery tree and stars as his body was being jerked in timed rhythm. His core felt like it was ripping in two with each thrust and he could not escape. _

* * *

The prince's eyes snapped open as a cry ripped through his throat. He locked his eyes on the form leaning over him... and the Gondorian tunic the being wore. He had no idea where he was, or who was near him. He could not distinguish if this was reality, but he suddenly found he had more control over his body and his distress felt uncomfortably real.

Legolas panicked.

With a swift movement, he pressed himself up against the headboard and tried to kick himself further back to escape. Whatever was behind him was rock hard and would not budge. His alarm deepened at the trapped sensation that flooded his awareness.

Elrohir heard the prince in the throes of a nightmare and came rushing to the bedside to pull the Wood-elf out of it. The Noldor-elf became surprised when Legolas woke up startled and began to struggle. He reached out to his friend and spoke soothingly as he tried to calm him, but Legolas was in such a frenzy, words did not reach his ears.

As the being reached out for him, Legolas rolled to the side to dodge the hands.

Elrohir caught the prince's shirt as he came dangerously close to the edge of the mattress and pulled him back.

"Legolas! Stop! It is ok!"

Legolas could not hear anything except the hammering of his own heartbeat in his ears. He could feel hands gripping him frantically to get a better hold as he tried to twist away. He swiftly rolled to his back to reach out for his assailant in an attempt to throw his attacker off, but the man was too strong.

Legolas gripped Elrohir's shoulders so hard, the raven-haired elf was sure he was going to be left with bruises. The prince struggled to push him away, but Elrohir shifted his stance to remain firmly planted. Blatant fear was clearly played out over Legolas' fair features as his wide eyes were transfixed on Elrohir's tunic and he grimaced with the effort to try and push the Noldor elf away.

"Legolas!-" But before Elrohir could say anything else, the terrified elf on the bed lashed out in desperation and landed a solid punch to the Noldor's jaw, sending him sprawling to the floor. Once Legolas was released, he scooted back on his hands. He did not move but a few inches before he felt weightless for a fraction of a second then his body jolted as he fell out of the bed and landed on the stone floor.

Legolas could see under the bed and through to the other side as the man picked himself off the floor from the punch he received and rounded the furniture to stand in front of him. Legolas tried to shift his legs to stand, but the bed covers had tangled about both limbs and he thrashed in horror as the shadowed form in front of him advanced. The white tree design on the man's clothing shimmered faintly in the starlight and it consumed his eyesight; each of the seven stars were glowing realistically and the elf froze. A single strained cry escaped his lips and he began to stiffen in fear.

"NO!"

Legolas desperately sought an exit, but was surrounded by stone walls and hefty furniture. The only way out was past the man who was slowly getting closer and the elf began to hyperventilate as the white Gondorian tree moved forward.

Elrohir crouched in front of Legolas and the blond elf pushed himself back so hard he slammed into the night stand and caused the pitcher of water to sway precariously before it lost its balance and fell to the floor with a crash.

"Don't!... Stop!" Elrohir grabbed for the prince again to put an end to his distress, but the sudden movement caused the gasping elf to fight back again and he brought his arm up to prevent the man from advancing.

Elrohir was trying to be patient, and tried to calm his friend, but he had enough. The raven-haired elf set his jaw with determination and with his quick Elven reflexes, he pushed Legolas' hands to the side, quickly overpowering the panicked elf. He wrapped his arms around the blond tightly and pulled Legolas close to himself to restrict the Wood-elf's movements, preventing him from hurting himself. He shifted as Legolas tried to get free, but Elrohir only tightened his grip.

Elrohir switched languages and began to speak to Legolas in their native tongue to try and cut through the confused night terror that had ensnared the prince.

"_Legolas! Hush! Hush! 'Tis alright my friend. Calm down... Calm down! It was only a dream. Calm down. You are alright, you are safe. Just breathe my friend. Calm down and breathe._"

Elrohir rocked them both to sooth Legolas and he felt the tenseness in the lithe body start to give way as the Elvish words finally broke through the confusion.

Legolas looked around as his world became clear, though he was no less confused. He took in a shuddering breath.

"Elladan?"

"Nay, Elrohir." The Noldor-elf eased his tight grip a little as cohesiveness began to return to the Wood-elf. Both were panting from the scuffle and Legolas began to tremble as the sudden surge of adrenaline began to dissipate.

"Where are we?" He saw his surroundings but was a bit disoriented since he never voluntarily laid on the floor before. The furniture towered over them from this vantage point, distorting his mental picture of his rooms. In this corner of the bedroom, it was dark as the bed blocked out any natural starlight that filtered through the windows on the other side. Legolas did not trust his vision just yet, but the familiar voice that spoke to him seemed real enough to believe for the moment.

Elrohir easily guessed what the prince's dream had been about and tried to supply the elf with as much information he could to convince Legolas that he was ok.

"We are in Minas Tirith- In Estel's palace. These are your rooms that we are in - on the floor... you are safe. All is well." He blurted out as he swiped their tangled hair away from both of their faces.

Legolas seemed to figure this out at the same moment Elrohir spoke and he let out a heavy breath in relief. The elf slumped as the tension dissipated and Elrohir rubbed his back in soothing circles to further calm him, just as he had seen Aragorn doing earlier that evening.

"Are you alright?" Elrohir asked as Legolas dropped his head to his hands for a moment. The blond could not talk just yet but gave a nod.

Suddenly, Legolas began to shake his head and he stiffened slightly.

"What? What is it Legolas?" Elrohir pushed the elf's hands away from his face. Legolas could only whisper.

"I need the bucket." Elrohir did not have to guess what that statement meant and he quickly untangled himself from the prince and jumped over the bed to grab the waste bin that was placed on the other side of the mattress for this very use.

He set the ceramic pot in Legolas' lap not a moment too soon as the blond elf curled over it and retched miserably. His panic added a new stress to his body and it did the only thing it could to try and reject the anxiety.

Elrohir sat beside the wood-elf and pulled the blond hair back from his friend's face until the spasms subsided. He took the pot from Legolas once he was done and set it in the bathroom to be cleaned later. Elrohir made his way back to his friend who remained on the floor and made no attempt to get up. He left him there as he remade the bed and pulled the covers back so he could place the prince back in it.

The raven haired elf extended his hand to the fair haired elf and pulled him up from the floor. He tried to guide the prince a few paces to the bed, but Legolas brushed past him and made his way to the living area and sank down into one of the chairs by the fireplace. The absolute last thing he wanted to do at this moment was go back to sleep.

Elrohir allowed Legolas to have his way and he kept himself busy by finishing straightening the area around the bed. He picked up the water pitcher that had spilled all over the floor and set it back on the table. He retrieved a towel to sop up the water that was pooled on the floor. Finally he made his way to the bathing chambers, rinsed the waste hamper out and returned it to the prince's side, should he need it again. Elrohir stoked the fire to give off more light and heat and he sat down in the other chair while watching his friend with worried eyes.

"Well that was fun." The Noldor-elf said as rubbed his jaw lightly where the prince had struck him. Elrohir smiled slightly, letting Legolas know he was teasing and no hard feelings were meant. The prince, however, glanced to Elrohir with a look of either confusion or concern, but Elrohir could not tell which one.

"I am afraid, then, that you have a rather tainted idea of what fun is." The Wood-elf mumbled as he altered his position slightly to get more comfortable in the chair.

Elrohir chuckled at the remark. "Well, whenever I find myself graced in either you or Estel's company- or both- I am sure to never have a dull moment." The elf dropped his hand from his sore jaw and worked the hinge to see if he felt any discomfort. "Fear not Legolas, I am quite sure this will be funny tomorrow." The elf let out another lighthearted laugh.

Legolas found no humor in the idea and he turned to watch the fire burn.

"Oh come now, this will make a great story later." The Noldor-elf tried to make light of the situation for the prince's sake and he smirked as he resumed rubbing the knot forming in his jaw. "I wager this is payback for all of my gags and antics you have fallen victim to all these years?"

Elrohir watched the prince for a time. Legolas looked miserable; His eyes were huge in the aftermath of his terror. The deep blue spheres looked almost black in the limited light and they were distant and haunted while the residual memories plagued him. His wide eyes made Legolas look even younger than his seemingly few Elven years made him to be. The thought of someone so young had suffered through that sickening, cruel ordeal struck Elrohir with grief and it intensified knowing that Legolas was still suffering through its effects. The prince was far from a child by any means but by comparison to the Noldor twins, he was relatively younger in age, and Elrohir knew that he himself was still considered to be a young elf.

Elrohir sighed and tried to continue with the light conversation in hopes of pulling the prince out of his dark thoughts and pushing away his own gloom. As he began to come up with some funny remark to bring about an instant of joy, Legolas cut in and spoke.

"If you are considering that payback, then you have quite a ways to go." The blonde elf whispered hoarsely, obviously trying with effort to keep up with the amusing charade. The statement caught the Noldor-elf by surprise and Elrohir snorted despite the rough emotions of his companion and Elrohir shook his head as if in denial.

"Nay, I would take no more right now!" His face turned wicked. "Elladan is not here to take his share of the payback. Most of those pranks were not solely my doing, you know, and I would not be so cruel as to take the punishment my brother so graciously deserves!... Besides, I do not think my jaw could handle it again."

The prince's eyes became unusually bright and Elrohir was anticipating a smile to come out of this, but he was disappointed to note the brightness was moisture reflecting the firelight, rather than mirth.

"I am so sorry 'Ro... Are you alright?" The prince questioned, but still did not look at him. He felt horrible that he mistook his close friend for a night terror… a horrifically graphic one, and his thoughts were beginning to be overtaken again by images of the nightmarish past that had just replayed in his sleep.

Elrohir waved his hand in dismissal. "Oh I am fine Legolas, you need not worry as I have had far worse. It will be a bit sore tomorrow, but I think I can manage. Besides, I would rather take what you just dealt to me than have to go through more payback from Faramir. You should have seen what he did to me earlier!" The Noldor-elf began to shake his head in amused disbelief. He was trying his best to keep the prince distracted.

While Elrohir spoke the truth, Legolas still felt awful over the situation. He took in a slow draw of breath to try and quell the new emotion that was added to the mountain deep within; guilt. He kept his eyes nailed to the fire and did not speak for a while and the soft crackling that emanated from the hearth filled the room.

Elrohir kept quiet for a time but the sorrow and despair was starting to become easily noticeable on the Wood-elf. Legolas' pale features furrowed while a hand came up to his eyes, quickly banishing any sign of his emotions with a swipe of his hand. Elrohir let the joking cease and he turned serious.

"How long has this been going on?" Elrohir asked. While he had not been witness to one of these episodes before, the raven-haired elf knew this was not a one time occurrence, and perhaps was the cause of many sleepless nights for Legolas.

Legolas looked to the Noldor-elf but his sights became distracted and went instantly to the tunic he wore. The prince did not answer as he kept his eyes on the beautiful symbol of power, peace and hope that was now corrupt in his eyes. Vague wisps of his ordeal returned to the elf and he shuddered, looking back to the fire. Seeing that once proud white tree only brought horror to his mind.

He should have never helped those men….

Legolas swallowed hard around the sudden lump in his throat.

_**By the stars, what is wrong with me?** _Legolas thought as he sought the fire once more. His eyes blurred as tears welled up again and he blinked a few times. He felt disgusted with himself; What happened to him, what he was reduced to, his frequent emotional landslides, and now, assaulting his friends... why couldn't he just move past all this?

"Legolas?"

The blond brought his hand to his face and held his temples with his thumb and finger, blocking his face from the person in front of him. He bit the inside of his cheek to distract himself and prevent himself from crying. Legolas took in a wobbly intake of air but spoke quickly.

"I'm sorry…. "

"Really Legolas, it is fine." Elrohir reassured. Legolas was a strong elf and had a fierce love for his friends and always held their well being with high concern. But, when it came to himself, the prince was always a little bit more emotionally distant, hiding his distressed feelings from others as he thought they would show his weakness. He did not like to be worried over so he always kept his heart closed when troubled. It was a trait that Aragorn and both twins knew too well and Elrohir considered it to be a very rare flaw found in the Wood-elf.

"Trust me _mellon-nin_." Elrohir was now trying to convince Legolas that all was well. "I would not lie to you. I am fine. Are *_you_* alright, Legolas?"

The prince just nodded his head.

Elrohir doubted it.

"What was your dream about?" Elrohir already knew but wanted to help the prince work through it if he could. But even as he asked the question, he knew Legolas would not go into discussion about it. As expected, Legolas just shook his head.

"I do not want to talk about it."

"It might help you so you are not holding it all in..." Elrohir offered, but again the prince just shook his head.

"No."

Elrohir was not sure how to proceed. He did not want to force Legolas to do something against his will so he sat back and ran through his mind of something else light and easy they could both talk about, for he did not want Legolas to start dwelling on painful emotions again.

"So..." Elrohir was practically grasping at straws for a new topic of conversation. He brought his own interests to the table hoping to get the prince to talk about anything to keep him at ease and put him in a better state of mind. "You know Tauriel..." Elrohir's statement was a mix of question and comment.

Legolas did not move but he gave a simple one word answer.

"Yes."

Elrohir rolled with it. Sure, he wanted to get Legolas talking, but part of him was hoping to learn more about the mysterious elf-maiden.

"How do you know her?"

Legolas was not sure how to answer. It was complicated to say the least and at this moment he really did not want to start picking at that old wound now.

"We..." the Wood-elf tried to think of an easy explanation. He dropped his hand to his lap once he felt the tears retreating and gave into the conversation when he realized it was going to save him from more emotional torment, at least for the moment.

"We grew up together... My father took her in after her parents were killed-"

"Thranduil adopted her?!" The twin could not believe his ears. He could not picture Thranduil as the kind to take pity on anyone and extended his love to another. He had seen the emotional distance between the king and his own son, so believing the Woodland King would voluntarily take in another child did not make sense.

"Not… really…" Legolas thought on how to explain. "He took her in, protected her, and provided for her. He was not a father to her in any way… but he made sure she was taken care of."

Elrohir's interest peaked on Tauriel's past and he pressed for more information. "How did her parents die?"

Legolas sat back in his chair. Discussion was not a highly wanted task at the moment. However, the silence was uncomfortable and his mind had a dangerous tendency to wander toward things he would rather not recall. With another sigh to make his rough vocal cords work better, he began to tell Elrohir a summary of Tauriel's past - at least from what he knew of it. His tone was very flat and quiet as he hesitantly began to speak.

"It was several hundred years ago… I was really only a child myself when it happened so I am not exactly clear on all of the details. Most of the story was kept from me because I was so young. But from what I can piece together, my father was coming back from some trip... probably over more jewels and gold... or power... anyway, whatever the reason, his fleet of warriors took a rather hard hit in battle and were very few in numbers. When he was on his way back, they were attacked by orcs.

"Somehow or another, the warriors were pushed back to a village on the outskirts of Mirkwood. My father had either lost his weapons or could not wield them…. I know not. I remember he came back home wounded, but I do not know if that was the cause of him not being able to fight back... Regardless, he could not defend himself and a gardener and his wife came to his aid. They did not know how to fight, yet they tried to and placed themselves in harm's way to save their king. They were cut down, but they gave my father a chance to get to safety. A border patrol was on their way back to the kingdom and stumbled upon the fight. They destroyed the orcs, but many lives were lost, including the brave souls that traded their lives for their king.

"My father did not know who these people were but they deserved to be honored in the best way possible for their bravery and courage... Their home was found and they entered it to try and learn of the identities and to see if either man or wife had any family that needed to be notified of their death. There in the home, my father found a small child... she was about one hundred years in age and terrified. It was Tauriel. She was hiding under the kitchen table and crying for she had heard the noise of the fight.

"My father tried to find remaining relatives who would care for the child, but it seemed that Tauriel did not have any other family, for her parents were only-children and her grandparents were not in Middle Earth, though I do not know where they were. I think Tauriel said they sailed a long time ago, but I do not recall.

"Anyway, being that she had no family and my father was the cause of her predicament, _Ada _decided to give the child the best life he could offer, both to help her... and I guess, as a way to thank her deceased parents. He brought her back to the palace and assigned maids and attendants to her who raised her. She grew up in the palace, in our home, but was not raised by _Ada_."

"So she is like a sister to you?" Elrohir asked.

"I... I do not know." Legolas mumbled. It suddenly dawned on him that perhaps Tauriel always thought of Legolas as a brother rather than a comrade, or further more, a mate. He did not consider her to be a sister, but maybe on Tauriel's part, he had been reading the signs wrong all these years. He let out a dejected huff.

"We did grow up together but I never really considered her to be a sister. We became close and spent a good deal of time together…. I had no siblings, nor did she and since she lived practically down the hall from me, we saw a lot of each other in our spare time, or in duties. We had many lessons with the same instructors and we shared a lot of common interests. I always thought of her as a…. as a close friend. A very close friend." Legolas' heart clenched at those last spoken words.

"What interests do you share?" Elrohir wanted every morsel of information he could get on the elf that had his heart beating wild every time he saw her.

"Well... Archery... an-"

"Oh?" Elrohir smiled. "Is she any good? We could use a hand against a particular dwarf..."

"She better be... I taught her."

"What?" Elrohir gave Legolas a surprised look. Legolas just nodded and seemed to stare off for a time. The prince grew quiet and it was evident that he was not going to speak more without any prompting, so Elrohir encouraged more dialect. "You mean you helped her improve, or you actually taught her?"

"I taught her."

"Why did you teach her? If she grew up in the same house as you, did she not have access to the best bow instructors in Mirkwood?"

"No." Legolas looked back to Elrohir. "She was not permitted to use a weapon of any kind."

"Why?!"

"_Ada_ would not allow it. He never really gave her a reason... Everyone assumed it was because she has always been on the smaller side so she was not cut out to be fighter… Others believed that Thranduil was trying to keep her safe and not let her be killed like her parents did. Those ideas make sense and could be the reason... but I really think it had to do with my mother. She was a warrior… A strong one and died in battle when I was much younger…"

Legolas began to get lost in his head and was not really giving much thought to the words that he spoke. He looked back to the fire as his memories roamed. Elrohir did not know if Legolas was just speaking his thoughts or if he actually meant to say what he did, but the low distant tone was barely louder than the soft crackle of the fire.

"...and I believe her death killed my father…" The flicker of light played in the lost depths of his blue eyes and the warm light bathed his haunted features in a soft glow.

"Wait… what?" Elrohir was lost. Something was not adding up. He had thought Thranduil was Legolas' father... in fact he knew Thranduil was Legolas' sire... didn't he? "Your father died? Then who?... who was... Thranduil?"

"Thranduil is my father, but the king he was known to be is not the father that he once was. Over time... he... changed."

Though the explanation confirmed Elrohir's original beliefs, he was still a bit lost.

"How so?" Elrohir had always assumed that the ill tempered king was Thranduil's true nature. All of this information was beginning to paint a new picture for the Noldor-elf and an understanding came to him as well as a new heartache for his friend. It was obvious that the prince had once had a caring father at one point, but somehow he had lost that over time and that was probably the cause of the emotional distances everyone noted between the father and son. Elrohir was also a bit saddened to be learning all of this now after he had known the prince for quite some time and considered him to be close, even part of his own family.

"He was... he was a father - a good one. He raised me to the best of his abilities on his own. He was once very caring, very loving. He loved me... and I love him. We had a good relationship. My mother's death hit him hard though. It hit us all hard, but my father was there for me... I do not think he had any one there for him however…. He pushed through it though. He put on a brave face for everyone... especially me. Yet, no matter how much time passed I do not think he ever got over her death. As I got older and spent more and more time away from home while learning to fight, constantly in practice, joining the military, and then becoming a patrol leader... I think his grief caught up to him and began to change him...

"I tried to stay around as much as I could when I noticed the change, but there was no turning back for my father. He became more hungry for power, which I think intensified due to the ever present threat of the evil that came from Dol Guldur. Precious metals and priceless jewels soon took over his love and he obsessed over wealth... He even went to war over a pile of white gems that became lost to dwarf possessions. That war cost Mirkwood many Elven lives... and in the end, my father left empty handed… we all left empty handed." That last statement held more meaning than Elrohir could ever know.

Legolas shook his head at the distasteful memory. "His once warm heart became hardened and cold... I know my father loved me - he still does, and I do him, but the father I had when I was about two hundred years old, lives no more. I hope with my father's departure to the west, that part of his spirit has returned to him."

Elrohir was watching the prince as he spoke. It surprised him how easily the prince was talking, especially about a rough past. The prince didn't go into great detail, but was able to explain thoroughly and for the most part, did so with ease.

A new hope was beginning to build in the Noldor-elf; perhaps Legolas could eventually open about these last few weeks and he could be kept from fading. The twin knew the past Legolas was currently talking about was by no means a fair comparison of the appalling events that recently passed, but if they could just find a right angle and give the prince enough time, perhaps Legolas could make it.

Elrohir would not dare try and confront Legolas about this now, nor alone. He needed his brothers here and perhaps others to make sure the prince had a full group of support to help him cope. But, Elrohir filed this information away for later. He would have to bring this piece of hope to Estel and Elladan and see if they could all use it to help the prince.

Legolas' mood shifted and the sorrow was beginning to build again at the saddened memories and Elrohir wanted to stay clear of any of this. He jumped in to take the helm of conversation and began to steer it away as quickly and fluidly as possible.

"So why did that mean Tauriel could not learn to fight?" Again, he wanted to focus on Tauriel, both because of his own desire to learn more of her and Legolas seemed to be content when talking about her.

Legolas glanced at Elrohir with caution. A sudden defensiveness came about him. He did not know why he felt this way, but something sparked against his heart, and it was not in a good way.

"Why do you want to know so much about her?"

Elrohir's heart felt as though it had stopped from the look in Legolas' eyes and the coolness in his tone. Elrohir shook the feeling off fast and just shrugged his shoulders.

"I just know nothing of her. I do not know what else to talk about and you seem to be at ease talking about her." Elrohir offered. Suddenly, he did not know if this topic was good idea and he was beginning to wonder if there was once more than a friendship between Tauriel and Legolas.

He hoped not.

Legolas began to get uncomfortable and fidgeted in his chair for a moment. With another huff, he looked to the windows and sought out the stars. He did not know why he was getting this flustered, after all, Tauriel was not his, nor would she ever be. They were just friends. And even if by some chance she did want him, he was not sure he was the strong elf she deserved to have, nor should she choose to give her heart to another who had been brutalized. She had suffered through enough in her life and did not need to be weighed down with his weakness and shame.

Legolas watched Elrohir out of the corners of his eyes as the Noldor-elf turned to the fire, lost in his own thoughts. Elrohir was a good elf; He was kind, noble, strong, caring... He would be a good catch for any maiden. Legolas supposed if Elrohir had feelings for her, he should be pleased. If Tauriel wanted to give her heart away, then she deserved to have someone like Elrohir, someone who could make her happy, someone who could make her whole…. someone who was not broken.

Legolas sighed internally, trying to ease the tension he felt building. He just needed to continue to let it all go. He had done so decades ago when he convinced himself that they were just friends.

They were just friends.

Legolas' eyes began to shimmer once more and Elrohir became concerned. This was exactly what he was trying to prevent. He didn't know what was going through the prince's head.

"Legolas-" Elrohir started off softly to try and console the hurt in the prince, but the blond cut in.

"Sorry. I was just... thinking about my mother…." He lied.

"What about her?"

Legolas scrambled for an answer to hide his lie. "Oh I do not know… Everyone always said I take after her… I still miss her."

"I am sorry, Legolas. I did not know this is what the story would bring about. I only wanted to find something fun and light for us both to talk about. I know you are hurting and only sought to help you." Elrohir gave Legolas a small concerned smile. "If you do not want to talk about this anymore, we can stop."

Legolas kept quiet for a time as he waded through his own thoughts. He suddenly found himself thinking about his mother after he lied to Elrohir over it.

"My mother was very strong…." He did not know where he was going with this, but felt compelled to continue somehow.

"Then everyone is right… you do take after her." Elrohir's concerned smile gave way to warmth and encouragement.

Legolas just clenched his jaw and adjusted his stance in the chair, looking back to the fire. He could tell Elrohir spoke sincerely, but Legolas felt mocked and pursed his lips at the compliment.

After hearing Legolas begin to speak about his mother again, Elrohir felt it was a safe topic. He tried to resume the tale on Tauriel's past.

"If your mother was proven to be strong, why was Tauriel not allowed to join the military? Did your father not want Tauriel to end up like your mother? If your mother was strong, which I do not doubt she was, why the sudden impulse to keep Tauriel out of the armies? Were all women not allowed to join, or just Tauriel?"

"Mirkwood has had very few female warriors; it was not due to discrimination, but not many had desires to fight. I think my father prejudged Tauriel, for he never gave her a chance to prove herself. I mean, I could be wrong, but that is why I think she was not allowed to pick up a weapon."

Elrohir gave a thoughtful look as he absorbed this information. "Then how did you teach Tauriel if your father did not allow it?"

"For a long time Tauriel was kept busy as she was taught more domesticated skills. They thought she would be better suited as a healer, but she had her heart set on fighting. She told me years later that part of this was due to her parents dying. She did not want to rely on others to keep herself safe. She begged to be taught how to fight and made quite a nuisance of herself by all of her pestering. Finally, my father put an end to it and commanded that she stay away from weapons, and fighting and was even banned from bringing it up again."

There, a rare occurrence happened. As his mind drifted to some thought, the prince smiled fondly.

"When I myself became old enough to begin my weaponry training, I would have my usual formal lessons in the mornings, and the afternoons were dedicated to practice. Every evening when I came back from the archery ranges, Tauriel would be waiting for me on the stairs to palace and would walk with me as we went to our home quarters. She would ask for me to tell her how things went, how well I was doing and what I had learned. I could tell she yearned to be a part of it. It hurt me to see her so upset that she could not participate. So…. I broke my father's laws.

"One night, I stayed up until the moon traveled high. By that time, my father had gone to bed and I snuck into Tauriel's rooms to get her. We made an escape and fled into the woods where I began to teach her everything I had learned. From that night on, just about every night, we would break out of the palace and flee to the forests. We would practice archery by the shimmer of the stars and sparred with sticks under the glow of the moon.

"People always said that I took after my mother with my skills as a warrior. But I think because I was doing double practice and had to pay closer attention that way I could correctly pass it on to someone else is why my skills are where they are today. I advance rapidly through my battle training and Tauriel kept up with me in secret."

"And your father never knew?"

"Not until she wanted to join the guard."

"Oh?"

Legolas nodded and his fond smile drained to bitter happiness. "She wanted to be able to join patrols and fight in real life, not just sparing. Every few years, when the military is ready to accept young elves, they put the recruits through skill tests in front of the militant leaders and the king. I had done so years prior and was advancing in the ranks quite well. The higher I went, the more I was away from home and I think Tauriel got bored. So she disguised herself in a hood and warrior's clothing and went to the auditions.

"I was watching on the sidelines with some of my friends and I will never forget when I saw her step up to begin her tests. I knew who it was instantly despite her costume. Part of me was proud. I knew she had what it would take to be a warrior… but the other part of was terrified because our secret practices would be uncovered and my father would find out... I knew it would not go over well.

"Through the whole test of abilities, no one had a clue who she was. She passed the archery portion flawlessly and showed she could handle a blade. Then it was time for hand to hand combat. She was paired up with Valiändier… you know, my second in command in Ithilien?"

"Yeah?"

Legolas smirked. "Let me just say... Valiändier was in for quite a surprise... They went at it, and for a time, they seemed equally matched but Tauriel proved to be a more skilled opponent and she pinned him to the earth three times in a row. On the third time, Valiändier put his all into it. While he was flattened by this small opponent, he succeeded in knocking her hood off and exposing who she was."

Elrohir was smiling like Legolas was now at the mental picture of the strong Valiändier being beaten by a woman. "And Thranduil was so impressed with her skills that he gave her a spot in the military?" Elrohir was expecting Legolas to agree.

"Hardly. She and I were arrested and locked in the kingdom's dungeons for breaking the king's laws."

"What?! Your own father-"

"Yes. I went against his law, behind his back, and had been doing so for years... Once Tauriel was exposed at the tournament, he simply asked her to step aside and did not make a big a scene right then. After it had ended, my father did some quick investigation work and demanded the identities of who had taught her. Of course, no one but myself had done so and I came clean so innocent people were not charged with the crime. He was beyond furious and ordered the guards to arrest me and I was escorted to the dungeons and placed in a cell next to Tauriel's, for she had been detained some time earlier.

"She felt horrible for getting me into that mess, but I cared not for being arrested. I was proud of her and proud of what she did, even if it was a bit foolish. We were kept down there for a week as punishment. The company was great, but the experience was terrible."

"Were you not treated well? I have never heard of Elves treating their prisoners bad!"

"We were treated well but…." Legolas shook his head for he knew the Noldor-elf could not understand what it would be like to be separated from the trees. All elves had an appreciation for nature, but the Wood-elves were uniquely connected to it. Nature was part of their very being.

"But what?"

"Have you ever been cut off from the woods? Been away from nature for an extended period of time and missed the way the plant life spoke and the song of wind that is harmonized with the forest creatures? Not being able to draw strength from it and losing a part of yourself when being cut off from fresh air?"

"Well… I... yes… or no..." Elrohir knew what Legolas was trying to explain to him, but he did not fully understand it.

"For instance, right now..." Legolas inclined his head to the balcony "Do you not miss the trees that are in hibernation? Can you not hear how quiet it is, how empty and void the very air is?"

Elrohir looked to the balcony. Other than the drastic change of colors, he had hardly noticed the change outside. Yet now that the Wood-elf enlightened him on the changes, he could begin to feel the difference around him. It was not as cozy outside as the summer months, but he had always associated it with the cold weather, not the sleeping earth.

"Well, we missed the connection." Legolas continued. "That was the worst part about our confinement. Once our sentences were served and we were released, _Ada _held a meeting with both of us, impressing the importance of his rule and that he was not to be trifled with. The original ruling was still set and Tauriel was still not permitted to join the armies."

"Even though she proved her skills?" Elrohir sounded a bit skeptical and asked just to be clear.

"Yes. Even though she proved to be an asset to our forces... Once the meeting was over, and we vowed to never go against my father's ruling again, we both fled to the woods immediately to let our souls reconnect to the woods. However, we each went our own ways; I went north and she went south.

"My father had business to tend to and set out for an extended leave… I believe he was on his way to Imladris to speak with your father on the growing evil in Dol Guldur… Any way, it seemed the past came back to replay… My father and his patrol was attacked by the giant spiders. Tauriel was nearby when it happened and she came to his aid. My father was bitten and put into the 'spider coma' as we know it. She freed my father and got him back to the safety of the palace where he could be treated for the bite. All of the militant leaders were still entangled and I was too far north to be reached so she threw together a hunting party. They went out, drove the spiders back and saved all the elves that were captured."

Legolas paused for a few moments but Elrohir had been consumed by the story. This lady in his heart was stealing it even though she was not here and he needed more information to fuel his interests. He tried to fill in again, but was quickly found to be wrong once more.

"And let me guess… because she picked up weapons, she was thrown in the dungeons?" Elrohir was a bit leery that Thranduil would do this, but then again, he had locked his own son up.

Legolas smiled deeply. "Nay... She was given a high honor for her bravery and courage. She was granted the right to join the military, where she made quick progress and it only took her about fifty years or so and she became the Captain on the Guard."

Elrohir looked shocked.

"She is Captain of the Guard?"

"Was...for a time, yes."

"For just a party, or all of the guard?"

Legolas smiled at his friend for Elrohir's disbelief was a bit comical.

"The whole guard." Legolas clarified. "She was the leader. She gave orders and took few."

A look of awe crept over Elrohir's features and he sat back, digesting the tale in its fullest.

"So.. then let me ask you this? Why were you so surprised to see her? When you first saw her this evening, you looked like you saw a Nazgul. Is her being here a bad thing?"

"That is another long tale." Legolas said quietly with a sigh. He was hoping that would put an end to it, but Elrohir did not pick up on the easy and quick dismissal.

"We are still many hours away from dawn." Elrohir said, leaving it open so Legolas could continue, but the idea was shot down quickly.

"I do not want to talk about it."

"Can I ask you something?" Elrohir hesitantly questioned and Legolas nodded. "How close to Tauriel are you?" He virtually cringed as he asked the question for he almost dreaded the truth. If Legolas and Tauriel were somehow connected beyond a level of friendship, Elrohir knew he could not pursue Tauriel; He had too much love and respect for the prince to do so otherwise. But if there truly was nothing between them...

Legolas looked like a troll who had seen the sun.

"I..." Legolas shook his head. He could not produce words.

"You said that you were very good friends. Is that still the case?"

"Yes, I suppose so. I have not seen her for quite some time, but I do not reject her." Legolas' heart was hammering in his chest and a prick of jealous aggression shot through him but he harnessed his self control and spoke evenly to Elrohir. "Why do you ask? Do you like her?"

Elrohir shook his head to deny it, but the prince noted the subtle blushing in the Noldor's cheeks. Legolas' pounding heart clenched and he looked away.

"I owe you my honesty, Legolas." Elrohir admitted. "I do not know why, but the moment I laid eyes on her... she... she captured me. I cannot say I love her yet, for I am not well antiquated with her. However, I do have hopes of getting to know her... but only if you would allow it."

"You are asking for my permission?" Legolas found this notion very uncomfortable. He held all of the control. With a simple bidding, he could put an end to the interest, giving him a unique advantage that he did not have last time.

"I do not wish to walk a rocky path, nor do I want to destroy and repave the roads of other's thusly. If you and Tauriel-"

"You do not need my permission." Legolas cut in quickly. Deep down he knew he had no right to stand in anyone's way when it came to matters of the heart. If Tauriel wanted him, she should have Elrohir and Legolas could not bring himself to withhold the chance for the two to find love.

**_At least Elrohir is not a dwarf_.** Legolas thought, trying to find some bit of comfort in the situation to put his troubled heart at ease.

"Tauriel and I are only friends..." Legolas quietly confirmed and he grimaced ever so slightly when Elrohir's face lit up in joyous hope.

"Are you positive, Legolas?"

"I am." Legolas forced his voice to be stronger and smooth to belie his disappointment. "Though, I think Gimli has a better chance of winning her heart that you do." Legolas added a bit tartly.

"What is that supposed to mean?" This absurd comment almost sounded like an insult to the twin.

Legolas looked back to the stars for a moment then to the fire. He was smoldering on the inside and could not find comfort in anything.

"Nothing." Legolas pushed himself into a standing position and stretched his muscles that were now taught and sore from the heaving that took place hours earlier. "Forgive me, that was quite uncalled for." He said over his shoulder as he made his way to the closet and pulled out his boots. He slipped into them, sloppily lacing them up to keep the footwear on when he walked.

"Where are you going?" Elrohir asked. He got up to try and confront the prince.

"No where particular. I just want to get out of these rooms." Legolas said as he finished getting his boots on and grabbed his cloak. As he turned to swing the covering over his shoulders, He caught sight of Elrohir's tunic again. The starlight glistened over the silver lines and Legolas jumped slightly as a surge of sudden and uncalled for panic rushed him. He forced a calm about himself as the Noldor-elf stood in front of him.

"Well, it is awful late. We could go to the gardens if you wish-"

"There is nothing in a garden these days but death and emptiness and they shall remain that way for a time. I cannot go there now for if I do, I fear I will lose what little sanity I have left. You do not need to be concerned with me any longer. I do not know where I am going, but I am going alone." Legolas fidgeted with the favored green leaf broach around his neck. His fingers fumbled with the pin and they began to clumsily push the clasp closed. He felt he was in a race and needed to get out of there fast.

The sudden pessimistic outlook rattled the Noldor-elf. "Legolas, let me go with you… please?"

"No; I want to be alone. I need to be alone." Legolas cut in. Elrohir slumped slightly in disappointment.

"Are you alright?"

"I don't know." Legolas admitted. "I just want to get out of here."

"Legolas, I am sorry. If it is about Tauriel, I will-"

"No it is not about her. You should seek her. You two would get along… I am just…" He could not describe what he was feeling without going into details and having Elrohir standing so close with that ghostly image decorating his clothing made the prince edgy. "It is me… It is just me and I want to leave."

"Does it have to do with your dream?"

Legolas looked to the twin abruptly, placing a confound stare on Elrohir while he backed up a pace. Legolas saw a certain sorrow and concern in the Noldor-elf's eyes and he began to get antsy that the elf had somehow obtained private knowledge. He almost brought himself to ask Elrohir if he knew something he shouldn't, but that would open a floodgate that would surely drown him.

"I just want to be alone for a little while Ro'. A lot has happened today and I need some space."

"I can leave." Elrohir offered but Legolas held his hand up to halt him.

"Thank you, but I do not want to be *_here_*. I need to go somewhere else, but where that place is, I do not know and will not know until I am there."

"You are in no shape to be running around. Please Legolas take some rest."

"Elrohir…. please. Just let me go and let *_this_* go." the prince's plea was mostly demand and without a response, Legolas turned quickly and left his rooms.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

* * *

Legolas walked with determination, yet had no destination in mind. His first thought was to go to the hall of fire, for this was an awful late hour in the night and the grand room should be empty. But as he approached, he stopped just before the door. There was a merry chatter taking place in the cozy room and the elf backed up swiftly so as not to be seen. He changed his course and continued to push onward to find a space of his own.

The large library was his next thought. Turning down a few rows and going to the opposite side of the palace, he arrived at the hall of books, but was disappointed again when he walked in. There were two people present using the space as a makeshift bar to enjoy a few glasses of refined malt liquor while talking quietly among themselves. Again, the blond elf slipped away unnoticed and traveled in yet a third direction in search for a private space.

There was a lot of excitement in the air that night as people were waiting for the festivities to arrive and the kingdom seemed to be restless with anticipation. A few people were in the halls despite how late it was and they traveled about rooms, taking up their time with different company and new places. Legolas kept his eyes downcast and brushed by silently as he continued to wonder the kingdom. It seemed to be full and there were no free spaces available.

Legolas soon became discouraged and gave up on his search. He decided to make for his rooms again, and did so quickly. He did not want to run into an old friend or acquaintance at the moment and be stopped by patrons.

The halls whizzed by with his rapid pace and the elf slipped passed by Aragorn's vacant office. He almost did not even give it a thought as he brushed by the entrance, but some unexplainable force pulled him back to the large doors and he let himself in.

The place was dark, for there was no need for a fire in an unused room, nor were any candles or glow lamps flickering in the study. There was a soft twinkle that flooded through the massive window panels that overlooked the kingdom and the star's light was the only bit of brightness in the otherwise dark room.

The work area was cluttered with piles of paperwork, journals and books in an organized chaos that only made sense to Aragorn. It was a strenuous peak and as the man delegated his time between his busy life and running a kingdom, the mountains of work kept getting higher and higher.

The elf was careful as he walked about the room. He looked over a few things that caught his eyes but did not dig nor look too closely at the reports that took over nearly every flat surface. Though Aragorn had always made the prince feel welcome and had full freedom to roam through every inch of the palace unattended, he still did not want to poke around too much and see something he should not. This was not his business and he did not want to stick his nose in places it did not belong.

Instead, Legolas made his way behind Aragorn's grand wooden desk and began to look over the numerous books that were kept in neat rows along towering bookcases. They lined the walls behind the desk and practically created a library of its own for the assortment of literature was quite large and contained everything from historical documents to fictional books.

Legolas slid his fingers over the book spines as he glossed over nearly every text. He felt a sudden desire to get lost in some story and he began a search for just the right book to do so. He was not really reading the titles and was going off of feel as the different textures that the book covers were composed of caught in his sense of touch. There was a particularly pleasant feeling of a single book and the elf stopped at this narrow edge to look over it. Bound in very smooth and soft leather was a titleless book. The spine had some intricate scroll workings over it, giving off a feeling of elegant beauty without using words to describe it. He hooked his fingers in pages and pulled the book from the self. He opened the cover and turned a few pages over in his hands looking at the text and pictures that were hand written in the most precise and neat text.

He did not know why, but this novel begged for his attention and he settled on this book. He had no idea what it was about, but figured he had all night to uncover it, so he tucked the book under his arm and made his way into the center of the study.

From there he could see the whole room. Along one of the large windows that overlooked the dark sleeping kingdom, was a lounging couch fully stocked with decorative pillows. Legolas walked over to it and set himself up comfortably.

He removed a lot of the free floating cushions and placed them on the floor in front of the couch. Only a few pillows remained on the sofa and he stacked them up to give him a plush recline and he stretched out on the soft cushions. He kicked his booted-feet out and propped them up, crossing them at the ankle on the arm of the couch while his cloak was pulled about him to give warmth in the cool room. and he opened the first page of the book and began to read the words in the star's dim glow.

He sat there quietly scanning the lines of text, but after a few paragraphs, the elf's concentration was no longer focused on the book. His eyes moved along the words, but he was not reading them. His thoughts took over and memories of his abduction raced through his head and oddly shifted to pleasant thoughts of Tauriel, that quickly turned to heartache.

Despite his attempts to distract himself with the book, he found that he could not escape his torment and the prince let out a heavy breath as was his norm when his feelings were plaguing him. He gave up trying to read and rested the book on his chest with the pages open so he would not lose his place and turned his face to look out of the window directly beside him.

It was bitterly cold outside and the elf began to notice a thin line of frost that clung to the edges of the windows. The cold was emanating from the glass panels and rolled off the sill and over the prince who was found just beneath. He pulled his cloak about his shoulders a bit tighter to keep the cold currents away from him and he looked to the stars.

This vantage point was amazing; Being so high up in the palace, no trees or other buildings stood before the windows and gave a large unrestricted view of the heavens. It stretched on forever as the sky fanned out and met up with the flat planes just below the palace and every bit of the inky dark sky was dotted in precious, softly glittering dots.

Somehow, his conversations with Elrohir replayed over and over in his head as he studied the night sky. He could not believe he had actually given Elrohir the freedoms to go after Tauriel. But he reminded himself on his reasons for doing so, further convincing himself that he had made the right choice, despite how hard it was on him.

Deep down inside, Legolas was pissed and he began festering over everything that had happened. Not because of Elrohir and his wishes to pursue Tauriel, or to possibilities that Tauriel could develop the same feelings towards the Noldor-elf, but Legolas was distraught over the events and actions of others that had lead him to give up so easily and make the decision that he did.

Why did that have to happen to him? Why was it when he was trying to give aid to those who needed it, they not only took him captive, but stripped him of his dignity and brutally gave him shame and dishonor?

Suddenly, a dull pinching was felt about the elf's wrists as the memories of his confinement deepened. He rubbed his wrists quickly, trying to discard the feeling of coarse rope around his wrists, reassuring himself that he was free. In a split second, a stab of panic knifed through him, but he reminded himself that what he was feeling was no more than memories.

He had been trying to forget all the events, trying to walk in ignorance and pretend that it did not happen, both for those around him and mostly for his own sanity. He could not harp over it and the very thought of what he had been through wanted to steal his life from him every time it was brought up. But no matter how hard he tried to push through the tainted memories of cruel treatment, the elf could not. No matter what he did, who he was with, how he acted or where he was, the depression that clung to him like a shadow could not be lost.

However, he had succeeded in losing one thing…

Himself.

He knew he had changed over the short two weeks since Aragorn and Gimli had rescued him. Despite all of his friend's attempts to help heal him physically and support him emotionally, and his own wishes to let everything go, he just could not find true joy in anything or obtain any comfort. He did not want to change and he was trying so hard not to, but he could feel himself becoming more distant as he tried to keep his hideous treatment from others.

But by trying to hide everything that had happened, even to Aragorn and Gimli who had witnessed it, he was ultimately pushing his friends away. It was not that he did not want his friends around, for he did love and cherish each of them, but it pained him knowing that his humiliation and abasement were also affecting them. His foul moods were affecting them, his health was affecting them…. *_He_* was affecting them. His disgrace should only impact himself. He was trying so hard to keep his abuse hidden so as not to weigh anyone else down, but as he was pulled under, he could see how others were going down with him. He needed to put a stop to it somehow.

And now due to his own words and actions, he had lost Tauriel... again. He supposed that he never had her to begin with, and was startled as he had come to this conclusion for he had thought *_those_* feelings had been buried long ago for other reasons. But now, his heart began to ache with the familiar pain he carried long ago. If there had been any slight bit of a possibility with Tauriel, it was now forever lost.

A sob broke free deep in Legolas' chest and his breath caught as all of his grief surfaced. As he looked over the gentle rolling planes through the large windows, he allowed the tears a rare opportunity to break free. He was hurting so bad on the inside and had no idea how to cope with this. He found the only outlet for his anguish through his crying and let himself do so.

Though he was alone, he kept his breakdown quiet as the silent tears rolled down his face and his sobs were no more than whispered shudders. When his private episode had calmed and he had no more tears to shed, the waking world was no longer present to the exhausted elf and he slipped into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The dark hours of morning greeted Aragorn and he walked down the dimly lit halls to his study to begin his day's work. As he marched, he let out an exasperated huff and ran a hand through his dark locks with hints of frustration and annoyance. He had just come from Legolas' rooms only to find that the elf was not there, nor were his brothers who said they would keep an eye on the prince. After tracking down the last one who had seen Legolas, he became rather upset with Elrohir for not telling him immediately about what had transpired after he explicitly asked for his brothers to wake him should something with the prince happen or change.

Elrohir defended his actions, claiming that he was looking out for not only Legolas' best interest, but Aragorn's as well for the king would have a long few days on his hands. He revealed to Aragorn his new outlook with the prince's fate and Aragorn actually felt a spark of hope in the tidbit of information, though he was still not exactly pleased with his brother at the moment. However, the information Elrohir passed to the man, was mainly about Legolas' family matters and the reasons for the distance in the relationship with his father, which Aragorn already knew. The man agreed it was a good sign that the prince had at least opened up a little bit, but it did not offer any comfort to the living hell that plagued the elf.

Legolas had already confided much of this rough past to Aragorn in his young ranger days. A few years after the two met, Aragorn journeyed back with the prince to Legolas' home that the elf had left some years prior in order to search for Aragorn at his father's prompting. There in Mirkwood, upon the homecoming of the king's so called beloved son, Legolas was welcomed back by an indifferent father lounging in his mighty throne, ogling over a rather large gem the size of the king's hand. Aragorn could not believe that *_that_* elf had raised Legolas to be the easy going and merry prince that Legolas was known to be.

At first, Aragorn was troubled by the lack of affection, knowing how his own father would have scoop the human up into his arms and hug him fiercely until Aragorn had to pry himself away from his father so he would not be crushed. It was something he just assumed transpired between all fathers and sons as his friends and fellow rangers did not shy away from the fondness that passed between them either. It was a cold awaking to see this mighty King struggle to give his son even a warm smile, though it was evident that the king was happy to have his son back.

One night, Aragorn had built up the courage to ask the prince about the fractured relationship he noted and they talked almost all night over the events that took place with his mother, her death, the struggles Thranduil had and the grief that took a heavy toll on his father. He understood that the Woodland King was once a loving father, but it took many years for Aragorn to believe it.

But, Tauriel was a different matter. As the man walked, he tried to think of a time when Legolas had brought up that name before or anything on their history together, but he could not seem to recall any mention of this friend that had apparently been very close to the prince at one point.

Aragorn cleared his head as he came closer to his study. He was also not happy to hear the elf had a rather vivid nightmare, and like Elrohir, Aragorn did not believe this to be a onetime occurrence. Though neither of them knew the details of the dream, it was not hard to guess what it had been about.

Aragorn asked his brother to look for the prince, for he was concerned that Legolas had not returned to his rooms after being gone for at least several hours. It was still dark outside and the man did not know where his friend may have taken off to, but he had little time to go look for the prince himself since he had a full day's work ahead of him. He hoped that his brothers would succeed in finding Legolas safe and well, or as well as the elf could be, given the circumstances.

As the man walked to his study to begin the daily ritual of paperwork he began running over the things he needed to do and began to formulate time-saving shortcuts that could allow the king to assist in finding the elf if he was not located by the time Aragorn was through.

Aragorn arrived at his office and he pushed the doors open to let himself in. Immediately he went about and lit a few candles and lanterns near the desk to give him some light to work until the sun came up. After several large pillars were set aglow, the man looked around the room and noted the huge mess.

Everywhere his eyes landed, there was paperwork, reports, scrolls, journals, stacks of books and clutter that needed to be dealt with. Up until this moment, the mess had gone unnoticed, but now it was driving him crazy and just looking at the piles of chaos made his head swim. Luckily today was going to be spent with those who arrived for the Last Harvest Feast that would begin on the morrow and his meetings would not be overly political. He could leave his usual tasks and reporting for the day and use the time to get his space back in order so he could actually think when he needed to.

Aragorn walked over to a stack of books that he had placed on the floor a few weeks ago and crouched beside them. He rifled through them quickly, discerning if he needed to keep any of them out and handy, but realized they served their purpose many days ago and were not needed any longer. He placed them in a neat stack and rose to his feet.

As he did so, his eyes caught sight of a body on the couch and the man ceased all movements. The image startled the man for he had thought he was alone in his own office and the person laying on the cushions was obviously trespassing. Aragorn quietly placed the stack of books back on the floor to make his way over to the person. He grabbed a candle on his way over to the sofa and held it out before him to illuminate the person who had unlawfully entered his private study.

His moment of uncertainty quickly vanished once he was able to see who this person was. Legolas slept soundly, stretched out on the couch and propped against a stack of pillows. One hand was dangling over the sofa and his fingers barely brushed the cold stone floor while the other rested over his abdomen. A leather bound book was splayed over his chest and his face was turned slightly to the window as his steady breathing condensed lightly on the cold glass some inches away from his face.

Aragorn wanted to be happy and relieved to have found the prince, but his heart was not easily settled as he looked over the appearance of his friend. There were matte streaks over the pale cheeks and upon further inspection, the man knew these were the salt-tracks of tears.

With a soft, heartbroken sigh, the man set the candle down and began to look after his friend. Aragorn was going to try and rouse the prince and help him to his rooms, but thought better of it. He knew once the prince was up, he most likely would not go back to sleep, and it looked as though it were a miracle that the elf was sleeping now, for there was an open book on the prince that indicated the elf had no intentions of resting when he originally got here.

Aragorn took great care to lift the book that rested over the elf's chest so as not to wake him. The man reached to a nearby pile of mess and took a small tear off the corner of an unneeded parchment to use as a placeholder once the book was shut. Aragorn set the novel aside and tenderly picked up the dropped hand, placing it over the other that was already on the elf's stomach. Finally, he pulled the loose fabric of the grey cloak up and over the elf to help keep him warm and comfortable as he continued to rest.

The man studied the features of his friend a small time, looking at the sapped elf who was oblivious to the man's presence. He was still much too pale for Aragorn's liking and dark circles under his eyes spoke of yet another stressful night for the elf. Aragorn did not linger long and backed away to let the prince continue to rest. He took one of the candles and lit a warm fire to heat up the room comfortably and then set himself to work on cleaning his study with very little noise so the elf could continue to doze.

Throughout the dark hours of the morning, Aragorn gathered piles of books and returned them to the shelves behind his desk and organized the sea of parchments in the study. Eventually progress was made and as the filing and uncluttering underwent for a few hours, the office was transformed into a clean room that beckoned kingly duties to be brought forth and pondered over.

Once the room was in tip-top-shape, and the unneeded parchments thrown into the fire to be disposed, Aragorn sat in his chair and did some light reporting until the black sky began to turn grey with the approach of dawn. It was about the time when Anna would be stopping by to drop off his morning snack and he kept himself alert to her approached so he could cut her off before she knocked on the doors.

Sure enough, it was not long before he heard the footsteps down the hall of the approaching head maid. Aragorn got to his feet and exited the room, meeting Anna on the outside.

"Why, good morning your Majesty. I have your morning tea and snack for you. Shall I place it on your desk?"

"No, I can take that, thank you Anna." The king reached out and took the tray from her hands. The maid curtseyed before her king.

"My Lord, breakfast is being prepped right now and will be ready for you and all of your guests at a more decent time." she smiled at her remark. "My staff will be busy today getting rooms set up for the remainder of your guests and getting the palace ready for the holiday. Do you have any orders for us today or shall we continue with our chores as planned?"

"No, please continue with what you have planned, but I do need you to help me this morning."

"Of course Your Highness."

"Can you please have the kitchen staff make a light porridge? Something that will be easy on the stomach?"

"Absolutely. Is this not what you want this morning?" Anna reached for the tray that held the usual fruits and other snacks, but the king pulled the tray closer to himself to keep her from grabbing it.

"This is fine for me but the other food is not for myself. If they could have it ready in about… roughly an hour, that would be best. Please make sure it is covered so it does not cool down too fast just in case he does not wake up right away."

"Who does not wake up?"

"What?" The man did not really realize that he had spoken that last bit out loud. "Oh sorry, Lord Legolas."

"Sure. Should it be delivered to his rooms or-"

"No; have it delivered here. When you come up, please just come in. Do not knock. He is asleep and I do not want to disturb him if it can be helped."

"Understood my Lord… Your request was for something easy on the stomach… Is he not feeling well? Shall I bring up some ginger chamomile tea?"

The man smiled as the maid's thoughtfulness. "Yes, thank you Anna, that would be a good choice indeed."

With a final bow, Anna took off to end to her latest errand for her king.

"Oh and Anna, if you should see my brothers, can you please tell them he has been found?"

"Who has been found?"

"They will know what that means."

Again, Anna dipped her head and continued on her mission and Aragorn went back in his study to eat and finish with his reporting.

Once the hour passed, Anna had returned to the king's study and entered quietly without asking. As the door was pushed open, Aragorn turned to the maid and held a finger to his lips, making sure the maid knew she needed to keep quiet. Anna placed the food on the hearth that was in the office to keep the food warm until it was going to be consumed. She turned a questioning glance to her king, silently asking if there were any other requests of her, but the king mouthed the words 'thank you' and shook his head before the maid took her leave.

It was still some time before the elf was roused. The room began to become lighter as the sun had cleared the horizon and a single sharp ray of bright, warm light was cast through the large windows and landed on the elf's face. Legolas stirred slightly at the uncomfortable sensation of the intense beam landing on his closed eyes and he shifted groggily on the couch, turning away from the window. His eyes drifted open for a moment and looked about, noting a fire to one side and he blinked a few times as he tried to wake himself up. He passed a hand over his face, assisting in shooing away the dull feeling of sleep.

As he moved his hand to his head, his body protested the thoughtless action as his sore muscles were not happy with being used. The sickness that had plagued him last night had put a lot of strain on him and left him with very little strength. After being relaxed for a few hours, his muscles had become tender and he let out a mild groan as he made his body move against the burning ache.

Again, he looked around at his surroundings for he could not quite remember where he was or how he had gotten there. But as the drowsiness drained away, he more-or-less recalled the events of last night and let his head drop back to the pillows behind him while a dull headache began.

He did not feel well at all.

Aragorn became alert the moment the prince stirred, but did not make his presence known until the prince fully woke up. The last thing he wanted to do was startle the elf who seemed to be a bit disoriented. After a few moments, Legolas let out a soft yawn and Aragorn spoke.

"_Aur vaer mellon-nin._" (Elvish for 'good morning my friend')

"Strider?" The elf questioned. He knew the voice to be his friend, but was not aware that he was in the room. The elf wanted to turn around and face Aragorn, but he didn't have the energy to and just continued to lay back on the pillows.

Aragorn finished scribbling a note in a journal and neatly stacked a few papers before he got up from his desk and made his way over to the motionless elf. He knelt by the couch, looking over Legolas who kept his eyes closed.

"How do you feel?" Aragorn asked as he began his usual routine of a healer, placing his hand on the elf's forehead to check temperature, and pressing his fingers to Legolas' neck to feel for pulse. Satisfied with what he had observed he sat back and watched the elf, expecting an answer to his question.

"Honestly?" Legolas didn't have the stamina to try and be stubborn and hide his pain at the moment. He felt weary beyond belief and he took a deep breath as he wallowed in discomfort. His face scrunched up with effort to open his eyes and looked briefly to his friend before he gave up and closed them again. "I feel like I have been stepped on by a dragon."

"I figured as much." Aragorn commented. "How is your stomach?"

"Right now it is fine. There nothing in it to make it otherwise."

"How about your head?"

"It hurts."

"And you?"

"I'm fine."

Aragorn snorted lightly at the flat remark. He didn't know if the elf was trying to be difficult or comical but said no more as he made his way over to the tray of food Anna brought in. He grabbed the pot of water that was resting close to the fire and poured it into a mug to make a tea for the prince. He returned to the elf's side with the tray of food and began to stir the mug as the tea-leaves and herbs steeped in the water.

"I have some food and drink for you. I am pretty certain that you are dehydrated and that is perhaps the major cause of your headache, if it is not the only reason."

Legolas did not move or comment and Aragorn set the mug down to help encourage the elf to sit up so he could drink. Legolas was handed the mug of tea and he took it without fuss. He held it for a moment before he took a small sip.

Aragorn moved to sit beside his friend on the sofa and scrutinized the prince. He was relieved that Legolas was drinking, but, unlike the past few days, the elf made no attempt to protest.

"I am sorry Strider." Legolas said softly and he dropped his sights the floor. The unexpected remark confused the king and he frowned.

"For what?"

"Everything."

"What are you talking about?"

"Me…" the elf said with a dejected sigh. "You have been playing nurse to me for weeks now. You have other things that need to be dealt with and you do not need to be dragged down by-"

"Don't you dare - stop it right there, Legolas. You are not dragging anyone anywhere." The man said as he knew what the elf was doing and cut off the ridiculous apology. "I am, as you put it, 'playing nurse', because I want help you. I know you have been through a lot and this has not been easy on you in the slightest. We are all worried, for we can see how this is affecting you…." With a sigh, the man placed his hand on the elf's back and rubbed it lightly to reassure the prince. "But let us not concern ourselves with this now, alright? You are far too weary at the present and we can discuss more of this once you feel a bit better. In the meantime, I do not want you to place any blame on yourself for thinking that you are a bother. You are not. You are my friend, a brother, and I would help you in any way that I can."

Legolas did not look at all convinced, but nodded and took another sip of tea. Aragorn wanted to get away from the heaviness that seemed to take over the elf. As the prince sipped at the warm liquid, Aragorn began to talk.

"So last night was…. hectic... to say the least." The man commented. "It seems your long lost friend is in fact alive?" Aragorn brought about a light remark. Again, Legolas just nodded.

"Where is Tauriel?" Legolas asked. "She did not leave last night, did she?"

"...No…. I do not think so. She and Gimli went to the hall of fire for a time after dinner. When I left your rooms last night, I passed by her as she was walking to her own."

A slight look of relief washed over the elf, but he did not comment and simply nodded again. Aragorn was a bit perturbed by this.

"Why would she have left? She only just got here." The man asked, but Legolas did not say anything and took another small sip from the mug. "Last night in the hall, she apologized to you for being here, that she should have known better than to come here?... What was she talking about?"

Legolas opened his mouth to say something, but pressed his lips closed as he thought about how he would bring the situation to light. Aragorn on the other hand took Legolas' reaction as a dismissal on the subject and he pressed on. It was strange to him that Legolas claimed this newcomer as a friend, but the two seemed to be almost scared of each other when they first met in the dining hall. It did not make sense.

"She said she was... banished?" Aragorn questioned the one word as though he did not understand it. "... for falling in love?" He added with even more question indicating that he did not exactly follow what happened, or if he did he did not agree to it.

"What?" Legolas' tone as a bit sharp with disbelief. He knew why Tauriel was banished, and it was not due to falling in love.

"Yes, when she first got here…. She explained that she was a banished elf because she fell in love…. then the way she looked at you when she first saw you…. Legolas?... did you and she-"

"No!" The elf's frantically spoken word pierced though Aragorn's statement, cutting it off before it could be finished.

Legolas let out a huff and the man assumed it was out of ridiculous assumptions that the elf was so defensive. Little did Aragorn know, the almost spoken question was halfway true and ignited another round of longing in the prince's heart. Legolas wished Tauriel loved him, but that was not the case. With almost cold and bitter words, Legolas gave the correct reasons.

"She is a banished elf because she disobeyed orders from her king, abandoned her post as Captain of the Guard, and threatened my father at arrow-point."

Aragorn looked absolutely bewildered and was going to ask why when Legolas jumped to it without prompting.

"And she took those liberties against my father *_because_* she fell in love..." Legolas added. "Her actions are what caused her to be ejected from our society, not her heart."

"What?... but... why would she have to fight against your father over-"

"Because she fell in love with a pitiful dwarf."

Though the prince denied being in love with Tauriel, Aragorn speculated over Legolas and his abrupt up-tightness that came about for no apparent reason. Aragorn was a ranger and had been trained his whole life to read subtle signs that others might not pick up on and he was able to put two and two together. Something had happened between Legolas and Tauriel, but whatever it was did not end well and there was a lot of residual resentment - at least on Legolas' part. Aragorn had no real reason to disbelieve his friend on his feelings for Tauriel, but he did anyway.

"And why does that have you so upset?" Aragorn sat back and leaned against the cushioned backing of the couch. "Should two people be kept apart because they belong to different races? Should Arwen and I never-"

"No… you are right. I have known that deep down all along… I'm just not… I cannot think straight right now."

"Are you alright?"

With a deep sigh the elf rubbed his eyes with the fingers of one hand. "Yes I am fine... I think it is my headache." He quickly added to try and place blame on something he did not have to explain. He did not want to get into the details of his past with Tauriel and he hoped that the distraction with his health would put an end to the questions.

"Here." the man said as he bent over and picked up a bowl that was sitting on the tray. "I had some food made for you this morning. I know you are reluctant to eat and I am hesitant to request this of you but… I am going to ask you - beg you even, to try and eat once more. This should be gentle on your stomach." Aragorn passed the bowl of hot cereal to Legolas and handed him a spoon.

"I do not know Strider..."

"I am not asking you to eat it all. Even if it is a few spoonfuls, it will be better than nothing. I do not want to have another repeat of last night, but at the same time, your body needs some fuel and I think part of why you became sick was due to fact that you have been starving yourself for too long and perhaps what you ate was a shock to your system. Under normal circumstances, I would not dream of asking you to eat right now, but I am sure there is going to be a process to get you back to eating regularly. You are at a critical point right now and have let this go on for too long."

With a weary sigh of defeat, the prince gave in. He heard the deep concern the man had for him and the elf knew he had to make an effort in order to get better. He picked a small bite out of the bowl and brought it to his mouth where he hesitantly took the small portion into his mouth and ate it with great care.

Aragorn caught himself watching the elf's every move and he got up to busy himself with another task. He did not want the elf to feel uncomfortable being the object of attention while he ate. Aragorn made it back to his desk and continued in his reporting for a short time as the elf sat on the couch and continued to nibble at the food.

Not much was consumed by the time the elf felt ready to call it quits. The bowl clinked quietly as he set it back on the tray on the floor and he leaned back into the couch.

"Done already?" Aragorn asked.

"Aye. I do not want to risk it."

"Are you starting to feel ill?"

"No. But I do not want to push my luck."

"Alright. I'm going to have you try and eat again around the mid-day meal. If you can keep down what you just ate, then I'll have them make more of it until you feel confident to eat other things. I want you to drink plenty of fluids today as well. I'm going to put my brothers on high alert for this so they can assist in making sure you consume a decent amount of water. That too will help with your stomach and your headache."

"Alright." the elf mumbled in agreement. He looked over his shoulder and out the window of the daytime landscape. It looked so different in the sunlight and his eyes scanned every inch of the city and planes beneath. Everything looked so quaint and content in Aragorn's fair kingdom and it was hard to picture one of the largest wars that was ever waged had taken place below and had nearly destroyed the White City.

Off in the distance, the sister city of Osgiliath was easily seen and it too looked nothing like it did when he first came to the southern lands. A few major buildings were still in need of repair, but the city was looking better and better as work continued to make Osgiliath beautiful and livable rather than a pile of crumbling rubble.

Peeking out just behind the city, the Anduin River continued its flow west. It looked like a slithering silver serpent under the bright rays of the morning sun. Legolas traced its course with his blue eyes, watching as it cut through the land. It disappeared behind a jutting mountain as the river met up with the White Mountains and followed at their foothills until it dumped out into the sea many, many leagues away from eye sight.

The sea.

Legolas looked at the western horizon intently, trying to make out the shores of Middle Earth, but the flat rolling plains of Gondor ran into thick forests, gracing the elf with a sea of fall foliage, rather than the legendary blue ocean.

Legolas let out a slight sigh but he was not aware of it until Aragorn spoke.

"What is on your mind _mellon-nin_?" The man heard the disappointment in the speechless sound made by the elf and got up from his desk to sit beside Legolas on the couch.

"Oh nothing... I was just looking over your kingdom. It has changed much since you took over - in a good way. You have done a lot for Gondor."

Aragorn tried to peer through the elf''s barrier. He could not imagine that his success would be the cause of the sorrow he had picked up on and knew the elf to be hiding something once again.

"Legolas... What is bothering you?"

Legolas looked back to his friend only for a moment, but broke the eye contact off quickly as the dull sting of tears began to surface without his consent. His own reaction startled Legolas and he could not believe those kindly spoken words, full of genuine concern, could instill this type of return.

"I just have a headache. 'Tis all." The elf replied and shoved his emotions back before they could continue to grow.

"No... I doubt that is all. Can you please talk to me? You are troubled, I can see it."

"I just do not feel well."

Aragorn took a risk and asked a bold question. "Is part of it due to your nightmares?"

Legolas looked sharply to Aragorn. He was a bit stunned that Aragorn knew, but then again, he was not surprised since Elrohir probably told him. Nothing was a secret between the brothers and as he came to this conclusion he began to worry. Aragorn knew of his secrets and perhaps the twins did in fact know what he had been through because Aragorn may have told them.

Would Aragorn break his trust like that?

With another sigh, Legolas turned his head and looked back out the window.

Aragorn did not need any confirmation, for Legolas' marked reactions spoke the answer clearly and he pushed forward.

"I have had a feeling of this for a while now, but did not realize that they were as intense as they have been, nor did I expect them to have any regularity….. Please Legolas, talk to me. What are they about?"

"What could they possibly be about, Strider?" The elf's voice started off strong, but became reduced to whisper and the elf looked off leaving the man to draw his own conclusions, which was not a difficult task.

"Why haven't you said anything sooner?" The man asked and watched as the elf began to shy away. Legolas suddenly felt very vulnerable and he gripped the edges of his cloak and wrapped it a little bit more securely around his frame, seeking security in the way the cloak blocked him from sight.

"What is there to say?" The elf muttered.

"You can just tell me and I can help you."

"How? By having you babysit me through the night? Telling Elladan and Elrohir to tighten their hovering supervision over me?"

"Legolas-"

"No!... just... It's fine…" Legolas stammered. "I get as much sleep as I can before I wake from the nightmares. There is nothing that can be done but let them run their course."

"But there are ways I can help you cope with this. You do not have to be alone. If you can just talk to me-"

"Strider..." the elf halted the man's words. Again an incredible guilt shot through Legolas that Aragorn had so much going on both with his royal duties and personal life and now prince's stress was being added to Aragorn's already heaping plate. Just as he speculated that night, he was dragging Aragorn down.

"I do not want your help." The prince said softly but would not look at his friend.

Aragorn felt as though he had been slapped across the face at Legolas' words, but he kept himself composed. He could not hold this against Legolas and knew the elf was in not the right mindset - he had not been for a while.

"Weather or not you want it, you still need it and I will help you if I can. But the only way it will work is if you help me, so I can in turn, help you. I need to understand you - fully. Please Legolas." Aragorn pleaded with the elf.

Legolas lowered his head to his hands and rubbed his forehead and eyes with his fingers in a stiff, yet slow way, as if he could physically remove what was bothering him.

"Strider…. I do not even understand myself." He admitted. He took in a deep breath, but let it out shakily. "I am sorry Strider… I do not mean to push you away, but how can you help me if I can not even help myself?"

Aragorn's heart constricted in sympathy. There was so much hurt in the elf and he had no idea how to began chipping away at it. He reached out and placed a comforting hand on the elf's back and scooted closer to the prince to try and console him.

"Legolas, I do not know how anyone would be able to help themselves in this situation. This is what friends are for; Share good times, companionship, a shoulder to lean on, love, support…."

The elf lifted his sights and looked about the room trying to find something that could hold his fascination as he felt uncomfortably awkward at the moment.

"Listen..." Aragorn continued. "I do not want to push you if you are not comfortable, but I would hope that our long friendship and trust in one another would not dissolve over this. We have been there for each other for nearly seventy years. Why would it just stop, especially in your time of need?" The man watched his friend intently for any sign of a fracture in the walls built around the prince, but Legolas was very calm and firm and only gave a slight nod, indicating he understood.

There was a sudden tapping at the door and both elf and man looked to it as the head maid cautiously opened the door and poked her head in.

"I apologize for the intrusion Your Highness, but breakfast is ready and all of your guests have arrived."

"Thank you Anna. We will be right down." After Aragorn dismissed the maid and the door was closed, he let out a thwarted sigh and turned back to the elf beside him. Legolas was still closed off and gave no indication of letting the man in on his distress. Aragorn decided to let it drop. "Will you join us for breakfast? At least for the company?"

"I would rather go lie down for a while. I do not feel up for company right now."

Aragorn nodded in understanding. "Just think about what I said alright? I want you to be able to talk to me. When you are ready, I am here for you _mellon-nin_."

Legolas nodded again while Aragorn wrapped his arms around the elf, giving him a light hug of reassurance before he got up and made his way to the desk.

"You are welcome to stay here if you wish, but with the company coming and going down the hall, it might get noisy soon." Aragorn grabbed a few items off of the desk and blew the candles out that were burning pointlessly since the sun was now up.

"Legolas, If you change your mind, you are welcome to join us at any moment." The man offered.

"Thank you Aragorn."

"Thanks is not needed. I just want you to understand that you are welcome here and you are not a burden, alright?"

Legolas looked at Aragorn and saw the desperation in the silver eyes, begging the elf to believe his words.

"Alright." The elf half heartedly agreed. After a final glance at the elf, Aragorn exited the room and closed the doors behind him to leave Legolas in the safe privacy of his royal office.

Legolas sat perfectly still in the study for a time, thinking about what the man had just said. He felt awful and it had nothing to do with his physical condition. Even though Aragorn was pleading with him to understand he was not a burden, Legolas knew this to be true. There was so much worry and concern for himself in the man's eyes and that should not be the case. That should not be the case for any of his friends; For them to worry themselves sick over him was cruel and that anytime he was around, they had to put their joy and happiness on hold until he was not around. He was the cause of their misery.

This had been drawn out for far too long and the elf let out a calming heavy sigh. He made snap decision and knew the only way he would not bother his friends with his shame and humiliation was to leave them. He needed to get out of here to find a way to heal himself and bury his weakness so life for others could go on and no one would be hung up on him.

However, he knew if he were to disappear now that would only add more stress to his friends since they were in the throes of a joyous time, but in a few days, he needed to get out of Minas Tirith and get back to his own life in Ithilien. Besides, he had people waiting on him there and his two weeks of lounging about, wallowing in depression was also hurting them from his lack of attention and prolonged absence.

Legolas gathered some strength and will to rise and made his way over to Aragorn's desk. He sat in the grand wooden chair and pulled several drawers open until he found a stack of blank parchment. He picked up the feathered quill and penned a letter to his second in command.

_Valiändier,_

_I apologize for not writing sooner, but my trip north was waylaid and I have been in Minas Tirith for the past fortnight. I will remain here for the next few days only until the approaching Gondorian holiday has come to a close, then I will be traveling back to assist with plans for our people over the winter months._

_I wanted to forewarn you, it has been brought to my attention that those living in Rivendell will be sailing. There is number of them who do not wish to leave and it is likely that they will seek Ithilien for a new home. I do not have the details yet, but once I get more information, we will need to prepare for their arrival come spring. I will be formulating some preliminary action plans that we can discuss upon my return._

_Sincerely,_

_Prince Legolas Greenleaf_

Once the runny ink dried, he folded the letter into a precise square and addressed it to the second in command and set it off to the side.

Then another thought came to Legolas and he let out another dejected sigh.

What about Tauriel?

He was at a loss as to what to do with her. She was extremely reluctant to go to Ithilien now that she knew who the Elven lord was and he did not know if she had any plans on sticking around or heading north as she claimed last night. He could not possibly drag her back to Ithilien and expect her to jump right back into society, and he could not support her as he could barely support himself.

A dreadful hope came to him. If Tauriel would just find some spark of… love… with Elrohir, then he knew she would be cared for and accepted anywhere. His insides twisted at the thought, but continued to pray for it.

And if that was not the case, he needed to make sure she would be alright. He had promised her some weapons before dinner last night and did not have the chance to arrange for that due to obvious reasons. But now that he was no longer preoccupied with a waste hamper, he could make sure Tauriel had the proper tools to protect herself and be safe should she decide to leave.

He turned back to the drawer that held the clean parchment and removed another sheet and re-dipped the quill in the inkwell. He paused a moment, thinking about the words he would write. After composing the right phrasing in his head, he scribbled a casual note and folded it up, placing it in an inner pocket of his shirt before he got up to leave the office.

He made his way into the hall and began to walk towards his rooms when the head maid made her way down the hall and she graced the elf lord with a warm smile.

"Anna." Legolas greeted her and Anna stepped up to the prince and inclined her head in a light bow of respect.

"Lord Legolas." She greeted back. "How are you feeling my lord? Did the porridge sit well with you?"

Legolas visibly stiffened. How did the maid come to possess this knowledge? And what else did she know? Legolas suddenly felt very exposed under the gaze of the petite maid and he quickly got to business so he could leave.

"Uh - yes thank you." He rushed the reply. "Do you know if any messenger falcons will be leaving today? I have a note that needs to be delivered to Ithilien."

"I do not know my lord. I can check with the king's outgoing mail and add it to what needs to be delivered, if you would like."

"Please. Here." Legolas handed her the folded up parchment. "The attention information is on the front there. If it can go out as soon as possible, it would be greatly appreciated."

"Of course. I'll be heading that way in a little while and can drop it off for you then." Anna pressed the folded square into her apron. "I'll send you word once I know for sure when it will be leaving."

"Thank you." Was all he said before he brushed past her and headed for his rooms in a hurry.

Once inside, he immediately went to the closet and removed one of the thick dark-brown cloaks Aragorn requested to be made for him upon their return to the city. He fanned it over the bed and returned to the closet to retrieve his quiver. He removed the white knives along with their scabbards and placed them on the cloak and then went to the dresser at the other side of the bedroom. Being this was deemed his room, he left a few items behind from his last visit and he dug through the top drawer in search of other items. He found a mithril, elk-antler broach, his old royal pin he used before he obtained the Lothlorian brooch. He had forgotten that he left this pin here from his last visit many months ago but he tossed that upon the cloak and it clinked against his knives.

He moved to the second drawer and opened it but this bin contained no clothes and instead held all of the tools Legolas needed to make new arrows. At the very back were two long, hardened-leather tubes and the elf pulled them out. He pried the top off one case and looked inside of the unusual parcel. Sticking out of the top were five yellow and green fletching belonging to well handcrafted arrows.

These were not enough.

He recapped the case and placed it back in the drawer. He opened the other tube and found about thirty identical arrows nestled inside. Relieved to have found what he was looking for, he placed that on the bed with the other supplies.

After he repacked the drawer and shut it, he went to the bed and rolled everything up in the cloak and tucked the bundle under his arm as he made for his doors again.

He walked cautiously down the hall and arrived at Tauriel's rooms. He knocked on the door, but knew she was at breakfast with the other company so when no one answered, he pushed the door open and walked into the foyer of the guest chambers. He took a quick glance around, noting the mirror image these rooms held to his own before he placed the bundle of items by the entry accent table. He fished for the folded parchment in his shirt and pulled it out, placing it over the cloth bundle he had just set down. Once he was sure the parchment would not be disturbed by a rogue gust of wind, he left Tauriel's rooms and went back to his own.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

* * *

The mess hall looked like a completely different room in the early morning sunlight. Rather than being lit by the soft flicker of candles, the rays of the sun illuminated the room giving a cheery and energetic ambiance to the space rather than the calm warm aura the room had during the dinner hours.

Most of the same guests from dinner were present this morning and everyone sat around the table in relaxed comfort as the sleep continued to recede from the patrons. They sipped on their morning tea and coffee until the royal morning banquet was served. A few guests were still trickling in and the king and queen had not arrived yet.

Everyone seemed to take up the seats they had claimed last night and Tauriel found herself sitting beside Gimli yet again. They began to chat lightly and effortlessly as they had done so the night before. Their conversation halted for a moment when Tauriel heard movement to her side as Legolas took up his seat beside her and she turned to face the prince so she could greet him.

"_Aur va-_"

Only, she was not looking at Legolas, rather Elrohir had taken it upon himself to claim the prince's chair and he settled quickly beside Tauriel as she halted her greeting.

"_Aur vaer _Tauriel! (Good Morning)" Elrohir greeted back and graced her with a huge grin.

"Where is Legolas?" She did not bother collecting her choppy salutations to him. She was a little nervous to be sitting next to Elrohir, for she had felt an unusual instant connection the moment she first saw the Noldor-elf and it unsettled her. There was a noticeable spark in this elf whenever she was around and it seemed to be growing each time she even looked at him. Tauriel only wanted this spark to be blown out. She did not doubt he was nice, but it the instant connection was unwanted, for the last time she jumped into opening up to someone, it did not end well and she found a subtle heartache beginning to poke through at the thought of it.

"I would guess he has not risen yet and is sleeping in this morning." Elrohir unfolded his napkin and placed it in his lap. He had not heard anything on the prince's whereabouts and did not find him in his searches all morning. This was not something Tauriel needed to be worried about so he played it off casually, giving Tauriel no reason to be concerned over the prince's absence. While he was uneasy for the Wood-elf's disappearance, he was not worried so to speak for he knew the prince was safe within the palace. If Legolas needed sometime to himself, he should be granted it in Elrohir's opinion, especially after everything the Woodland Prince had been through and the Noldor-twin gave up searching shortly before the call for breakfast. He would resume his search later.

Just then, Elladan walked in the hall and took up his seat beside his brother. Once his chair was scooted in, he looked at a few of the guests in the room and greeted them, then looked briefly to elf maiden and the dwarf who sat a few chairs away.

"Good Morning Master Gimli, Lady Tauriel." He nodded to them as he greeted each and both the she-elf and dwarf nodded back in response. Elladan leaned over to his brother to speak a little softer, though he was not attempting to hide the conversation. "I saw Anna in the hall a few moments ago. She said 'he has been found'."

"Oh Good. Where is he?" Elrohir asked.

"She did not say, but all seemed well from what I can gather."

"Does Estel know?"

"No, I do not, though I would assume so. We can speak with him after breakfast."

"Who is missing?" Tauriel asked. Her keen ears overheard the discussion. She was not trying to eavesdrop, but her sensitive hearing had picked it up anyway.

The twins spoke at the same time, but each gave a very different answer. "No one." Elrohir said, while Elladan replied "Legolas." Both twins looked to each other after the answers they supplied and cast questioning looks between themselves as one was trying to hide information and the other brother openly shared it.

"Legolas is missing?" Tauriel took Elladan's answer as truth and asked for more clarification with unsettled surprise tainting her normally smooth voice.

She remembered Legolas excusing himself from the dinner table a little abruptly last night and she was partly disappointed when Legolas had left. She was hoping to find some time with him that night to speak further about rejoining the elves. Her nerves had calmed significantly after initially meeting Legolas, and between talking with Gimli and getting lost in her own thoughts during the course of dinner, she started to like the idea of pursuing a life in Ithilien. Legolas was right; she should be allowed to return to her people even if it was just for a short while. However, there were a lot of topics that needed to be discussed to make certain that this was a good decision and not one that would cause repercussions for anyone - including the prince.

Though she didn't speak with Legolas, there seemed to be something wrong when he left and now hearing that he was missing left her questioning if part of his disappearance was because of her sudden appearance. Legolas told her that he wanted her to join the elves in Ithilien, but perhaps there was a moment of reconsideration on the prince's part.

"Uh, well..." Elladan stammered. Tauriel turned to Elrohir and shot him an accusing look

"You said he was-"

"You do not need to be concerned with Legolas." Elrohir said lightly. "He-"

"I certainly can concern myself with whom I wish." Tauriel remarked bitterly. She hated to be brushed aside as though she did not matter. Since she had been living among unaccepting mortals, they did not seem to take her seriously. Their easy dismissal on her thoughts, words and actions always found a way to get to her nerves and she absolutely hated it when someone told her how she needed to think. Her thoughts were her own and no one should claim rights to it or change the way the she thought.

Elrohir was taken aback and did not foresee this reaction coming from Tauriel. He gaped in surprise at this sudden flare of defensiveness, but his twin brother came to his rescue.

"I think what my brother is trying to say is that there is no need to worry." Elladan cut in. "Legolas is well, we just could not locate him and perhaps we have been using the wrong phrasing, for the word 'missing' does give the notion that something ill has happened. Though we have not seen him yet today, there have been no emergencies reported to us and I am sure he is taking an easy morning." Elladan supplied. He too believed that the details of the prince's matters did not need to be discussed openly so he did his best to calm Tauriel, hide the prince's business and save his brother with a simple, easy statement.

"Oh." Tauriel looked to Elrohir quickly with a softer gaze this time. She knew she overreacted and began to blush because of it.

"Elrohir, I am sorry. I did not mean to get short with you."

"No, my lady Tauriel, no harm was done. I believe there were misunderstandings on everyone's part, including mine."

Tauriel increased her smile to Elrohir, relieved that she did not anger him in any way. The last thing she needed was a noble elf to be angry with her. That would not help her circumstances any. But as she gave Elrohir a deeper smile, the twin seemed happy... very happy and he caught her eyes with his. A connection hit her with the gentle gaze and both elves froze for a split second before Tauriel turned her head quickly, blushing a deeper shade and breaking the eye contact.

She suddenly found that her chair was not pushed in far enough… or maybe it was too far in. Then there was something wrong with her silverware…. Her precisely folded napkin needed to be straightened and the round plate was tipped at the wrong angle. She wished Gimli would suddenly have something to say, but he had turned to a blond woman next to him and was blabbering away happily.

Tauriel fidgeted inelegantly after that brief look with Elrohir and tried to find any way to alleviate the awkward moment. But at that time, the king and queen entered the dining hall and Tauriel was saved from herself. All attention was directed at the royal couple and the hall stood to their feet. Each person bowed to their lords before the royals departed from one another and took up their respective chairs at the opposite ends of the table.

After everyone settled in their seats, breakfast was served. All the guests began to chat amongst themselves once more and made plans for the day. Tauriel listened to everyone, picking up bits and pieces of information as to who the noble lords were, relationships between patrons and other facts that could help her with topics of conversation at a later time. Tauriel's attention eventually turned to the end of the table where the queen sat and she looked at the harem of women sitting at that end of the table. Arwen was talking about babies with the blond woman sitting next to Gimli and Tauriel noted that she looked like a noble human with her straight posture and long, wavy golden locks. After a few moments of listening to the conversation, Tauriel was able to discern that this woman was the princess of Ithilien, Éowyn, and wife to the steward she had met the day before.

There was some daydreaming talk between the queen and this princess as they discussed a distant future that included Éowyn's unborn child and the queen's infant son. Curiously, Tauriel took a glimpse at Éowyn's lap to note a small swell in her stomach, giving away that the future discussed could come to pass as the woman was currently carrying a child, though she was not far along.

Tauriel felt the urge to look up and when she did, she found the queen watching her. Arwen's eyes caught Tauriel's for a second causing the wood elf to fidget once more but Arwen only smiled.

"So, Lady Tauriel," the queen addressed the she-elf. "How was you stay last night?" Arwen asked, trying to find a way to incorporate Tauriel into their conversation who was listening, but not partaking. It was a bit hard to do, since they sat so far away, but Tauriel smiled courtly and replied.

"It was well, thank you, Your Grace. Your palace is beautiful and very comfortable. You and King Elessar have been most gracious to let me stay here, especially when it is so busy." She said with the utmost politeness. She was doing her best to be overly considerate to the royals, for if things did not work in Ithilien, she needed to have a backup plan and this place would make for a grand second choice.

Arwen smiled. "Yes it is rather busy, but it is a holiday best kept with family and friends so the more the merrier. Are you planning on staying for the holiday?"

Tauriel thought fast to supply an answer. She would love to stay, but did not want to wear out her welcome. Besides, she did not have a moment to speak with Legolas on the subject of Ithilien and did not know if she should be investing time in the other city or if she should stay here.

"To be honest, I have not even thought about it. This is a holiday I am unfamiliar with and only learned of it yesterday."

"You must join us then!" Arwen prompted, overjoyed to be sharing this festive time to another. "It is one of the most important holidays here in Gondor. There are feasts, music, dancing... It truly is a sight to be seen."

A sudden gruff voice caught all the women's attention and everyone looked to the dwarf who was taking a large bite out of his toast.

"I'd have to say, the feasts alone are enough to make the event spectacular!" Tauriel smiled to Gimli. "Dwarves know how to pack a hall full of the finest meats, best malt beer, and all the fixin's one could want. This place could put up a contest to any Dwarvish feast, and let it be known that it is hard for a dwarf to admit that."

Arwen was beaming at the compliment.

"It sounds..." Tauriel thought for a second on her diction. "Delicious!" Tauriel looked back to Arwen. "I would love to stay if you have room for one more."

"Room for one more?" Another male voice piped up and Tauriel turned to Elrohir who had joined the conversation. It was unknown to Tauriel if he had just picked up on the last line or if he had been listening for quite some time, but she looked to him with a bit of cautious surprise at the remark, for she had no idea where he was going with this. She suddenly felt as though she had said something wrong or inappropriate.

"My Lady Tauriel, I do not mean to be facetious, but have you seen the size of this place?" He said with an amused smile.

"I..." Tauriel did not know how to respond and looked back to the queen hoping to correct what she felt, had become foolish words.

Arwen seemed to note what was going through her head and gave a gentle expression to the startled Tauriel. "Of course there is room for you. We would love to have you join us."

Tauriel dipped her head in a visible sign of 'thank you' and Elrohir began to talk to her.

"While the dwarf likes the feasts, it is the celebrations afterwards that are also equally as grand and make for a rather joyous time. There is a huge gathering in the Great Hall of Fire. There, you will find music of all kinds being played and everyone dances the night away and it lasts until the early hours of the morning. The hall has these huge windows that overlook the courtyards and they are so tall, it allows the sky to come inside and it is as though you are dancing under the stars."

Tauriel smiled at the picture painted in her head and could only imagine what the time would be like. It sounded like many of the Elven holidays that took place, for the elves would celebrate nearly everything with grand parties. Her thoughts took her back to a happier time when she could laugh and dance with friends under the glittering twinkle of the stars that peeped through the dense Mirkwood forest canopy. She recalled the taste of traditional dishes and the finest wine that was brought out for the very purpose to be enjoyed.

It had been a long time since she had been a part of a celebration like that and she began to look forward to the joyous occasion tomorrow.

"Is it like _Mereth Nuin Giliath_?"

"The Feast of Starlight?" Elrohir asked her back in common as he pondered over the name of the holiday she had inquired about. "I am unfamiliar with that holiday."

"It was a large celebration in Mirkwood that took place annually, at about this time of the year as well. It was in honor of the changing constellations as the summer stars would begin to shift and the winter stars began to overlook us…. it was a lot like you had just described the Last Harvest Feast to be… but we celebrated with a lot of wine."

"If it is wine you seek, you will not be disappointed." Elrohir said. "There will be plenty of it served and it is rather exceptional, for it is from my brother's royal cellars. King Elessar will make sure it is brought out, but you must be careful, for the wine is very…. potent." He said with a little emphasis.

Tauriel smiled as she relaxed. She was actually enjoying talking to Elrohir now that they were conversing, rather than him simply ogle over her.

"Oh, I am sure I can handle what is served, for I was brought up on the wine in King Thranduil's halls. He was known to keep a vast horde of very strong casks and one glass of wine was enough to let you know that you had too much. The wine was one of the best parts of the feasts in Mirkwood. King Thranduil had a very refined stock of it in his cellars and brought it out for all to enjoy when in the palace. I have never tasted a smoother, sweeter nor more delicate nectar since partaking in the king's prized wine. I wonder if King Elessar's will be like it..."

"Well, you will just have to see! I have not had any Thranduilion wine from Mirkwood. My Father has, and he said the same thing. I guess you and I should share a glass tomorrow. You will have to educate me and tell me if what we are consuming is anything like what you are used to." Elrohir added.

Strange enough, the uncomfortable awkwardness seemed to disappear after talking about her old home and speaking to Elrohir became easier. She gave a dazzling smiled and nodded in agreement.

Elladan interjected and both elves looked down the table to the other raven-haired elf.

"Perhaps you can convince my brother to consume more than he is used to and we can have a good laugh at his expense." Elladan looked down the row at Elrohir who was scowling back at him and Tauriel who was grinning.

"You will have to excuse my brother, Tauriel..." Elrohir said but he did not look at the red-haired she elf. Rather, he kept his eyes on his brother and glared at him, warning him to back off on the teasing. "Elladan thinks he has tasteful humor."

"Oh, lighten up brother! It was only a jest. But seriously-" Elladan leaned forward to get a better look at Tauriel around his brother's position. "- he is not used to a lot of wine. Watch him and do not let him consume too much."

Elrohir rolled his eyes and turned back Tauriel to try and rectify the situation, but there was a sparkling happiness in her emerald eyes that accompanied her mirth and Elrohir found that in this instance, he did not care if he was the butt of a joke. He loved the way Tauriel smiled and he tried to mimic the delighted look.

"So Tauriel," Arwen interrupted. "We have not spoken practically at all and I would like to get to know you." Arwen was trying to hold onto the conversation at her end of the table and began to shift the discourse to keep the red-haired elf in it. "You are a friend of Legolas'?"

"Yes." Tauriel replied as she took a small bite of food.

"And how do you two know each other?"

"We grew up together. We have been close friends since childhood and as we became older, our friendship intertwined in both personal life and in our professions."

"What do you do?" Arwen questioned as she began to pick at her own food.

"Well, in Greenwood- or... Mirkwood, I was a warrior for a time and went with the prince and his company on many of his patrols. I lead a troop as well. My division was more focused on eradicating the giant spiders that took over southern Mirkwood."

"You are a warrior?" Arwen asked with delighted surprise.

"Well, I was for Mirkwood, for a time."

"Not just any warrior." Elrohir added and all eyes turned to him. "I spoke with Legolas last night and he told me you were Captain of the Guard in Mirkwood."

All of the women at the table looked at the red-haired elf with a look of awe and wonder and Tauriel found that the self consciousness returned. Everyone seemed infatuated over this and now hearing that Elrohir and Legolas spoke of her last night did not settle her. She could only speculate over what the topics of conversation were and did not know what information she should be uncovering with her past, if any at all.

"Captain of the Guard?" Arwen repeated. "Why, that is no light title."

Tauriel did her best to smile and act like nothing was bothering her. "Yes. I was Captain and lead the largest effort to clear our forest-" Tauriel caught herself.

Mirkwood was no longer her forest and she backpedaled her words to correct it quickly and fluidly. "Clear Mirkwood of the invading spiders. From time to time, I would accompany Legolas on his missions to try and eliminate the threat of orcs, but most of my time was spent dealing with the eight-legged pests."

"Another woman warrior!" Éowyn chimed in and had a massive approving grin on her face.

"Were you a warrior too?" Tauriel asked and was pleased that now she was not the only one and she could share the looks of awe and wonder from everyone else over the subject of feminine strength and courage.

"I was! I was the Shieldmaiden of Rohan. We did not deal with spiders as you have, but we hunted orcs and defended our lands against evil."

Arwen added more to the princess' story, further illustrating her friend's battle experience. "Éowyn even fought on the planes just below the kingdom when Mordor unleashed an attack to try and destroy everything."

Gimli spoke up after taking a forkful of food into his mouth and his words were clear, but a bit muted from eating.

"An' ya wouldn't believe who she fell." The dwarf's eyebrows raised in residual surprise as he remembered the gruesome scene from the battle and learning of Éowyn's harrowing battle against one of Middle Earth's deadliest foes.

"Who?" Tauriel asked the dwarf, but he pointed his thumb toward the shieldmaiden that sat on his other side, letting the blond woman gloat over her victory. Éowyn flush slightly and looked to her plate.

"The Witch King of Angmar."

Tauriel's eyes widened in unbelievable shock.

"You?!"

Éowyn nodded and smiled to Tauriel who looked as though she was still trying to comprehend what was just relayed to her.

Just then a servant walked into the hall and approached the king. After a bow of respect, the messenger leaned in close to relay some sort of information to the king who sat back after the servant delivered the message. All eyes went to Aragorn and a look of fond happiness crossed his features.

The king stood to his feet while wiping his face with a napkin. Everyone became quiet as he looked like he wanted to say something. Aragorn smiled to Éowyn and gave an announcement.

"I have been informed that King Éomer has just arrived."

Éowyn gasped in joy and quickly rose from her seat and placed the napkin over her plate, indicating that she was done and was more concerned with greeting her brother than eating. She rounded the table and began to head out of the hall with a large amount people following, including the king and steward.

Tauriel noted that the twins and Gimli had gotten up too and in no time the dining hall had become quite empty. The hall now held only a few people and the queen who decided to stay back and remain with the rest of the dining guests. The mess-hall was much quieter now and with the departure of nearly every other guest, those who were left in the room took the suddenly empty space as an invitation to leave. Within minutes, Tauriel found just herself and the queen sitting at the table, but it did not last for long. Once the rush was gone, Arwen stood to her feet.

"Tauriel, I do not mean to simply leave you, but I must greet the King of Rohan, for he is a dear friend."

"Please, my queen! You have no reason to think that you are leaving me! He is your guest and friend, you must greet him!"

"I would still like to get to know you. A friend of Legolas' is a friend of mine." Arwen smiled again as she made for the door.

"Tauriel?" Arwen turned to the elf-maiden who was still sitting at the table. "I would like to extend an invitation to you for a walk later this morning. I usually take one between now and the midday meal. Some of my friends, as well and Éowyn, join in and we just talk and marvel over the gardens that we have placed here. Would you like to join us? It would allow us to get to know each other and I can introduce you formally to my friends."

"Of course!"

"Good. I have to tend to some royal matters then I need to see my son. I will send for a servant to get you when we are ready."

"Thank you."

The queen exited the mess hall, leaving Tauriel to herself. She too got up and left the dining hall since no one else was around and the serving staff began to file in to clean up the dishes.

Tauriel made her way to her rooms so she could get ready to meet with the queen and enjoy a morning walk. It would be some time before they departed, but the anticipation was building within the elf-maiden and she was becoming more and more excited with each passing moment. She made her way back to her chambers to pass the time and see if she had anything to wear that would be appropriate in the presence of the queen and to walk around in.

She entered her chambers and immediately made her way to the closet to began shuffling through the few dresses that were provided to her. Each dress was fashioned to be as elegant as possible and no two dresses were any less exquisite when compared.

Tauriel let out a perturbed sigh.

She had no idea what to wear. She had always been a warrior and whenever she would meet with her king or other nobility, her warrior's outfits were completely acceptable. Even when she did wear a dress at formal functions, they were not as elegant and lacy as the ones she found in the closet and she began to feel slightly frustrated with her own discomforts.

After going through a few items, she found two dresses that she deemed acceptable for the outing and pulled out a cream color dress and a dark green dress to give these a try. She laid them on the bed to better study each garment and compare each one to find the best suited dress for the occasion.

The cream color dress was very simple and initially she thought this was the dress she would wear. Tauriel grabbed the hanger and slipped the still hung dress over her neck, giving the outfit a glancing try-on to see of it would work. She turned to find a mirror so she could see herself and as she looked about the room, something caught her eyes near the door. Cautiously, she unhooked the dress from her shoulders and set it back on the bed. She marched over to the accent table in the foyer and studied the unusual parcel sitting on the smooth wood surface. Resting on top of a cloth bundle was a note addressed to her and her name was written in very fluid strokes of Elvish characters.

She grabbed the parchment and unfolded it to read the words.

_Tauriel,_

_Things got a little hectic last night and I apologize that I did not keep to my promise in getting you weapons. Here are some that I am sure will keep you safe, along with a few other provisions I wish you to have that will offer aid and protection. This is by no means a dismissal and I would still have you stay, but where you go from here is your decision and one I cannot make for you, nor would I force a decision upon you. If you must go, for whatever reason, may the grace of the Valar protect you, and I pray that you find exactly what you are looking for._

_-Legolas_

Tauriel was taken aback by the note and despite the penned script, there was a sincerity resonating from the words. She grabbed the bundle and began to unwrap a corner of the material but an object fell from the package and the sound of metal bouncing on the stone floor pinged in the room several times until the object came to rest a few paces away. Tauriel knelt on the floor to pick up a small silver circle and turned it over in her palm.

In her hand, she held a beautiful brooch made of the finest mithril. The craftsmanship found in the metal was wondrous and was fit for a king. The glittering pin resembled strong and mighty elk antlers, a symbol of Thranduil's house during his time of rule. Tauriel swiped her thumb across the silver, giving it a slight polish to increase its milky brightness. She had only seen this brooch being worn by two individuals; Thranduil and Legolas, and it was not hard to guess who's pin this was.

This was meant to be a gift, but Tauriel could not help but feel bothered at being handed this royal item. With a troubled sigh, Tauriel set the brooch aside and began to unpack the rest of the bundle on the floor. A hardened leather tube held a decent cache of arrows that were undisputedly made with Legolas' craftsmanship, for they looked identical to the ones Tauriel was familiar with. She had spent many nights with her friend as he made new arrows to replace the ones that became lost or broken and some of his unique arrow trademarks were passed down to her after he had taught her how to remake the projectiles during their late night practices as children.

Next she found some long knives with white handles and she felt as though her blood had turned to ice at the sight of the ironically beautiful, yet deadly weapons. She could not believe what was being given to her.

But then, a speck of hopeful doubt crossed her mind. Of course Legolas' knives were not the only white handled blades in Middle Earth and she paused for a moment giving a silent prayer that these knives would somehow be scrounged up spares and not the precious weapons treasured by the prince.

She slowly pulled the blade free and the cold metal brushed against the sheath. The lethal saber seemed to hum as it emerged from its home and the slight ringing of the metal sent out a sharp warning, letting danger and evil know that the virulent blade had been pulled free. She inspected the knife, noting the golden scroll etchings that decorated the precisely honed edge.

These were Legolas' knives.

She could not accept these. This was far too gracious of a gift to accept and she was disturbed and saddened that Legolas could simply give these away. Even though they had known each other for centuries and were at one point quite close friends, she could not, and would not accept the knives. The arrows she could take; She knew they were easy enough to remake, but these knives could not be replicated and she would not take them.

Her first thought was to march to Legolas' rooms and hand the knives and brooch back to back to him, but she did not know which room belonged to the prince nor did she feel comfortable going door to door in order to find him. Instead, she placed the single knife back in the case and grabbed it's twin. She got up to place them on a shelf in the closet for safekeeping. The arrows were placed beside her quiver and the mithril pin was placed on her dresser so it would not get lost.

She returned to the area where she had opened the package to pick the parcel's wrapping material off of the floor. But as she straightened the folds, it took on a new shape and she could see that this was a cloak, not scrap material.

The cloak was made from an expensive fabric, and she brushed her fingers over the brown crushed velvet shell that created the grand look. It was a long cloak that reached the floor when held out and it was lined in a luxuriously soft and thick sheepskin to add a hefty layer of warmth. The hood was wide and deep, perfect for hiding behind if one needed to be kept from sight. Stitched along the hems of the cloak was a fine embroidery work in silky gray threads that almost looked like silver. The elegant tiny scrolls seemed to have a glossy sheen as the silk threads caught the light along with the fibers of the crushed velvet, giving the whole cloak a soft shimmer.

Carefully, she draped the cloak over her arm to gather the material and placed it on the bed for the time being. She went back to her task of trying the cream color dress on, but as she looked at the garments on the bed, her attention was drawn to the soft brown cloak that rested next the green dress she had pulled out.

There, she found her outfit. Thought it was a little bit more grand than she was used to, the rich shade of green and the draping brown folds became the perfect woodland combination and she instantly knew she had found her comfort.

She left the cream dress in favor of the green one and once she was changed, she was beaming with relief and satisfaction as she had finally felt a little truer to herself.

She rummaged through her belongings in the dresser and found her worn brooch that had been shaped into a miniature golden magnolia flower. As she fastened the broach to the cloak at the nape of her neck, she noted the pin looked awfully trashy in comparison to her new grand appearance. Some of the petals had been bent or broken off from long hard years of traveling, fighting, surviving and working and she had very little means to care for the pin out in the wilds. Her hand brushed over Legolas' mithril pin sitting on the dresser and hesitantly, she held the circle of silver elk antlers over her golden flower brooch. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and saw that the shiny silver circle was far more fitting than her own accessory.

She did a quick pin change and decided to borrow the royal pin for this occasion. She needed to look her best before Gondor's queen and the items Legolas had intended to give as gifts helped not only her appearance, but her confidence as well.

She looked like she belonged.

For the first time, in a long time, Tauriel felt slightly giddy inside and was actually looking forward to spending time with Arwen and the rest of the noble women that would be joining them. Perhaps she was finally going to find her place and after many long years, she just might be able to return home, even if it was for a time.


	21. Chapter 21

_**I get a lot of different reactions on the age in which I have placed Legolas… I tried to search for some cules on a general age for him, but there is no definite answer to this… I found a note on…. Wiki? I think… and it said he may have been the youngest elf in the series. I kinda went with that. I picture the Twins, Arwen and Legolas to be in the same age category; young elves that would be in various stages of the human equivalent of their twenties. In the Hobbit movies, Tauriel is placed at about 600 years old, so in my story she is about 700. I wanted to make Legolas closer to Tauriel's age… but honestly, age is not a major focal point. I mention it again in this chapter as a conversation filler. If you feel differently about Legolas' age, by all means, glance over it.**_

_**Also, towards the middle-ish of the chapter, I reference a scene that took place in the extended editions of LOTR (Return of the King, I think). If you are lost, that is where it is all coming from.**_

* * *

Chapter 21

* * *

The day came and went quickly. Tauriel had a wonderful walk with the queen and her friends and by the end of it she felt more relaxed than ever and had a rather hopeful outlook on her prospects. After the midday meal, Éomer's welcome continued as many guests drifted to various halls to catch up and talk. The rest of the day was not marked by any defining activity but the hours of daylight watched as old friends reunited after extended periods of not seeing each other. The afternoon passed into to darkness and another cheerful evening was enjoyed with good company and a hot dinner.

Legolas partook in none of it however. He did not feel the need to be present during the joyful time and went back to old habits as he imprisoned himself in his rooms. Elladan and Elrohir stopped by periodically throughout the day to check on the prince, but made no attempt to persuade him one way or another in regards to how he should be spending his time. After dinner was over, Elrohir found an opportunity to chat with a group of friends in the great hall and put the time to good use as he conversed for a while with Tauriel.

Elladan took it upon himself to stay with Legolas that night. After hearing of the events that had transpired the night before, he did not want to desert Legolas and leave him to face the phantoms in his sleep alone. After letting himself into the prince's room at a rather late hour, he found the blond elf asleep on the bed, but it was not long before his slumber became distraught. With gentle and soothing motions, Elladan roused Legolas, pulling him from the nightmare that wanted to torment the prince. The remaining hours of the night were spent trying to console the closed off and troubled Wood-elf who spoke little.

The morning of the much anticipated Last Harvest Feast had finally come, but it met enthusiastic people with a dreary, cold, wet day. Everyone kept themselves inside for the most part and a lazy calm seemed to take over Gondor as the usual lively streets of the kingdom were vacant while the constant cold drizzle held people confined to the interiors.

The palace however had become an odd mix of lethargic attitudes and nervous anticipation as the guest's moods seem to reflect the weather and the staff was frantically trying to get last minute tasks complete before the formal dinners and parties took place.

The smells of baked bread and roasting meats became stronger as the day progressed and there were trains of maids and servants dashing down the hallways and entering the dining room with armloads of table linens, fine china, and decorations for the festive occasion. The Great Hall of Fire was cleared of all furniture to make room for the dancing that would take place hours later and the white marble floors were polished until they sparkled with even the faintest glimmer of light.

The feasting began rather early and dinner was held while the gray sky still held some light. But as the dinner commenced, the clouds in the sky began to part and for the last few hours of the day, the dining hall was graced by a soft golden light that seemed to pick up everyone's energy with the exception of a lone blonde elf who sat in silence among a table full of chatter and joy.

Legolas kept his sights to his plate, but made no attempt to eat anything that was on it. His focus was yet again turned to the conversations around him and listened as Éomer, some high ranking men of the Riddermark, Gimli and Faramir talked a good distance away. Tauriel and Elrohir seemed to be in a conversation of their own and he turned his attentions to them to try and hear what they were discussing, but the feeling of eyes upon him caught his attention instead and he looked about the table.

He found Aragorn watching him from the end of the table where the king sat and a concerned glance was cast at the elf as the man knew Legolas was not himself and was still bothered by something. Legolas could not seem to put his worries behind him and even among grand company during a time of celebration, the elf was still noticeably depressed.

Legolas looked off quickly, severing the connection of concern. He did not want Aragorn to renew his worry, for this was supposed to be a holiday, not a pity party.

He looked down the table again as Tauriel made a comment that caused Elrohir to laugh lightly and he watched the two interact for a time. He was glad that the two were getting along, but could not fathom a reason as to why they would not. His moment of pleased approval became slightly tainted as he watched the way Elrohir lit up with every look he received from Tauriel, but then noticed that Tauriel did not react the same way. She was happy, but there was something missing that Elrohir possessed and Legolas could not discern if he was relieved or bothered by it.

With a light sigh to clear his thoughts, he turned once more to his plate and pushed the food around with his fork, pretending to be interested with the meal. He could feel eyes on him again, but he refused to look at Aragorn this time and tried to play off his distant mood with a front of casual glances about the table, trying to find a way to become distracted and find a reason to look happy.

The hour wore on and the guests became full. A transition period was held as the patrons went to their rooms to prepare for the dance and let their full bellies digest a little. The women changed into glittering gowns while the men dressed in their finest garb. Before too long, the guests began to trickle into Minas Tirith's Great Hall of Fire.

This space was not in its usual state. Ropes of forest leafed garland draped dramatically from the high ceiling and extra chandeliers were hung above and held dozens of candles perched on long fingering spokes. A few narrow tables lined the walls and held rows of fluted champagne glasses and the bubbling gold liquid sat ready for the commencement of the party.

After Aragorn lead a traditional ceremonial prayer, a toast was made to officially close out the prosperous seasons. The guests raised their glasses with a warm cheer. The tinkering of glass on glass was heard while everyone clinked cups. All went silent as the people drank the celebratory drink and the music began. The guests started to mingle as dance partners were picked out and the crowd began to move to the sound of the light melodies.

Legolas stood by a stone support pillar and watched as the people stepped and twirled around to the symphony of music playing at the front end of the Great Hall. He was not looking at any one couple in particular, but gazed at the entire dance floor while everyone moved as one entity. The sight was rather spectacular and the unity with each dance step was carried out with almost perfect time.

Over the heads of dancing people, he spotted Tauriel and the twins standing near the grand fireplace, each enjoying a glass of wine. They were relaxed while Elladan leaned his back against another stone pillar some distance away and each of them studied the goblets in their hands before they took a swig and exchanged remarks.

He was pulled from his observations however, at the soft touch of a hand being placed on the shoulder of his silken silver shirt. The hand lingered a moment as he turned quickly to see who it was that was trying to gain his attention.

Arwen stepped up beside him and looked up to the tall blond elf. She too was wearing silver in her gown, but each elf's attire had a different hue to it as Legolas' shirt bordered on a darker gray and Arwen's dress looked almost white. Upon her head was an elegant mithril crown that rested on top of her loose dark locks of hair that had delicate ringlets through the long tress. Her light blue eyes sparkled with cheer and she met his eyes with a warm, pleased smile.

"Another feast has come and gone!" Arwen spoke. "I am glad you are here to enjoy this with us Legolas."

"As am I." He returned the pleasant greeting to her before he looked back over the hall and continued to speak. "This holiday reminds me of the celebrations that used to take place in Mirkwood and since residing in Ithilien, I have always looked forward to this time, for it always gives me a small, familiar piece of home."

Arwen followed the prince's gaze and she too watched the assembly of people. "I know it is a human holiday, but since Estel has put me in charge of it, I have tried to incorporate some Elven touches to the celebration. I think it makes all the difference and I am always pleased with the turnout. Everyone seems to enjoy it."

The song ended and the sway of the room halted as people stood in place and clapped to each other and the musicians for the wondrous dance and the flawless musical performance. The soft clatter of instruments shifting around filled the hall as the entertainers turned the pages in their songbooks and the conductor began to tap out the beat of the next melody. Another ballad started and the people quickly got into position for the steps to resume and the dancing started all over again.

Arwen let out a slight gasp as her ears picked up on the first few notes of the three count beat and she recognized the tune instantly.

"This has always been a favorite song of mine!" Her face lit up with excitement. "I do not suppose you would care for a dance?" Arwen hinted for an invitation.

"With me?" Legolas asked and Arwen let out a small chuckle.

"Yes with you! Estel is busy talking." She nodded to a group of men who were found to the side of the room drinking full steins of mead and let out a roar of laughter. Among the gathering, Aragorn stood grinning with the rest of men around him.

Legolas looked back to Arwen and gave off a half-hearted smile, but he had no time to reply as Arwen took his faint expression as the invite she sought. Lightly, she took his hand and pulled him out amongst the people to begin the steps. They stood facing each other for a moment, trying to find the tempo of the waltz and stammered for a moment as they sought the right time to begin. With the next count of rhythm, they began to move to the familiar steps.

They stepped in close and spun around the room with the rest of the people; one of each of their hands clasped lightly together while Arwen placed her hand on the prince's shoulder and Legolas held his hand respectfully at her waist. They backed away briefly as the step called for the women to spin away and with the beat of the music, Arwen found herself at arm's length from Legolas then pulled back in close to resume the trotting pace of the steps that moved them fluidly through the room. Arwen leaned into the prince to talk to him as they gracefully fluttered about.

"You are quite a dancer! I fear Estel would not be thrilled to hear this, but when it comes to dancing, he is a bit clumsy." She smiled as the step called for another breakaway between dance partners and she looked to the prince who smiled back with caution. He countered that comment when Arwen was once again close to him.

"The man is one of the best healers… probably in all of Middle Earth. He is an exceptional warrior, a grand king, and I assume, a loving spouse and a devoted father…. I suppose if there is fault with his dancing, you should thank the Valar that *_that_* would be his only flaw…." The prince had to halt their conversation for a moment as the next step parted the two for a counted measure of time. When Arwen was close once more, he resumed.

"...However... I do agree with you. I have seen him dance at other occasions when he was in Mirkwood and you are right; he *_is_* a rather terrible dancer. But, I will say not a thing more on the matter so he does not overhear this and turn it into a debate… or a contest to drag Elladan and Elrohir into." He grinned to Arwen.

The queen giggled at the comment and continued the elegant swaying with the prince. They twirled here and there and departed from one another then rejoined just as the rest of the crowd did.

Arwen looked up to him for a moment. The prince was smiling, but it lacked the usual spark of happiness and his eyes were not matching the expression he wore. She sobered slightly at the observation and said no more as the two moved through the hall.

Legolas followed each step precisely as they danced in silence. His eyes began to roam the hall but, for what reason, he could not guess. Arwen pulled back and grabbed his hand while she ducked under his arm to twirl and doing so more gracefully than any of the other dancers.

Out of the corners of his eyes, Legolas caught a flash of auburn and he turned his face to see Tauriel being escorted from the dance hall with Elrohir closely behind.

The music in the room became quiet among his ears and the hall of dancing people was lost to his vision. Apprehension suddenly gripped him and he stopped his movements as his eyes watched the two disappear out of the room with a heavy heart.

"Legolas?" Arwen's cautious voice cut through the silence in his head. In an instant, the rush of music flooded his ears and his vision picked up on the twirling people about them. He jerked slightly in surprise after finding he had halted his movements and realized Arwen had noticed. Legolas shook off the stunned moment and stepped quickly back into the choreography of the song.

As Legolas took the lead of the dance once more, Arwen looked to the door where the prince had been gazing and found only a darkened corridor and began to ponder over what he had seen. She resumed the steps with the prince but his movements were stiff and he was no longer smiling.

"Legolas? Are you alright?" She asked. But the elf just took a deep breath and pushed a smile back across his face, banishing the look of disappointment he wore just before.

"You blame Strider for being a clumsy dancer, but I prove to be no better. I seem to have lost my count." He lied as he forced himself to relax and held his palm out once again to meet up with Arwen's as they clasped hands one more time. Arwen took a light step back into another lazy spin and did so with balletic movements. She became easily distracted with the comment and laughed at the statement.

"Strider..." She repeated the name and thought for a moment. "I know that is a name he acquired while being with the rangers, and the remaining Dunedain still call him that. But how come you still call him by that name?" She asked. She knew all of her husband's names from various periods of his life, but she never questioned them.

"The same reason you still call him Estel… It is the first name I have known him by and no matter his current name or title, my human brother will always be Strider." He said.

"You two really do have a special connection." She said fondly as the prince gave the queen a shallow dip to follow the rhythm. "When Estel and I married, we never really picked up any traditional in-laws since my father and brothers were also his. But-" the queen was pushed away and slid into a twirl of the song and rejoined Legolas with a sweet smile. "You have been the only exception to that."

"And I gained three siblings." The prince said lightly.

"Indeed! I am a little jealous though." Arwen said and smiled impishly. It was a look that he had seen on the twin's faces many times and knew that what she was going to say would be some sort of jest. "You took my title."

"Title?"

"I am no longer the baby elf of the family." She said and Legolas took a confused moment to ponder this. Their age difference was only marginal by elven standards and for the first time he became a bit more aware of this.

"If you want the title, please, keep it. That is not something I would care to carry."

"A title comes with truth... I would not deprive you of this… besides… haven't you always wanted a doting older sister?" She let off another musical laugh at her own joke.

Then, Legolas felt a tapping on his shoulder and he turned his head to find Aragorn stepping up behind him. His gray eyes were playful as he grinned to his long time friend.

"Excuse me good sir, I do not mean to be rude and untimely, but if you would allow it, I would like to cut in and have a dance with the lady."

Legolas did not miss a beat to the charade and looked to Arwen who was smiling at both of them. Legolas feigned suspiciousness and squinted his eyes for a moment.

"I suppose I can grant you one dance. But I will have you on your best behavior - no funny business." He turned to Arwen and spoke to her, though his tone was loud for all to hear. "My Lady, if he bothers you at all, just let me know and I can deal with him for you." Legolas looked back to Aragorn, suddenly taking on his roll of 'brother' as Arwen had called him earlier. Though his words were a bit stern, the smirking expression told Aragorn that Legolas was still playing along.

"I will be watching you intently... as an owl does a mouse…." Legolas winked quickly to Aragorn who gave the elf a good-natured sturdy pat on the back before Legolas stepped away and dodged the wafting steps of other couples as they continued the waltz.

He left the dance area and began to stroll about once again in search of a less crowded area to stand. Despite the jubilance in the hall, he could not help but feel the depression creep back and mixed with loneliness and disappointment while he went back to watching the people from afar.

He hated this.

This was supposed to be a celebration; a time to enjoy and indulge, yet he still felt just as miserable as ever. He could pretend to be happy, but deep down, pretending was not what he wanted. He longed to feel the real joy he was once able to obtain. But as the sea of people continued to move with the dancing and the occupants continued to party, he felt like he was separated from it, almost as though he were peering through a pane of thick glass that kept the happiness on the other side where it could be seen, but not reached. The only thing he could do was watch the world go by in front of him.

He looked back to the door where he had seen Tauriel and Elrohir leave and found he wished that the two would appear again, but chided himself even as he thought that. He looked away from the door quickly to keep himself out of their business. After all, he wanted them to get along, didn't he?

A Gondorian army captain passed by with a beautiful woman on his arm and they smiled brightly as they made their way to the dance floor. Legolas locked his eyes on the stitched white tree on the dark tunic and gulped as he suppressed a shudder.

A maid walked by and balanced a tray on her fingertips that held several goblets of wine to be passed around. As she walked past the elf, he reached for a glass and plucked it off the tray without the maid ever noticing. He swirled the wine in the glass a moment, contemplating if he should be drinking the heavy draught, but gave into the temptation and lifted the glass to his lips and sipped the garnet liquid.

The instant the refined drink reached his tongue, he tipped the glass a little further back and was no longer sipping at it, but gulped it down with a few swallows. He then carefully dabbed the corners of his mouth with the back of his hand as he rolled the stem of the glass between the fingers of his other, performing the mindless task without even realizing he was doing it.

He could feel an unnatural warmth beginning to spread through him rapidly. The alcohol from the wine was felt almost instantly for he had consumed next to nothing over the past few weeks and the potency of the drink was unhindered after it was guzzled. Along with the warming sensation, a pleasant relaxed calm began to work its way into his limbs and attacked the tautness that had taken control of his muscles. His troubles seemed to be more bearable at each passing moment and as a different maid passed by with another round of drinks, he grabbed a second glass while he set the empty one back on the tray with an easy single movement.

He did not drain the second glass for he knew having too much wine on an empty stomach could lead to some irrational actions, even though he knew his tolerance was far higher than the mortals around him. But the last thing he wanted to do was add any more humiliation to himself so he kept his drinking pace slow. He nursed the second glass and from time to time would take small sips to maintain the comfortable alcohol induced humm that was coursing through his body.

The songs were played one after another and the people continued their party. Legolas was now on his third glass of wine and remained standing in his place where he was among the celebrations, yet sufficiently tucked away to keep him content. His reservations on the light drinking were soon fading, and as he consumed more of the ruby drink, he felt certain he could finally enjoy the festivities with the growing unnatural, yet pleasant daze about him. He was already way more relaxed than he could ever remember being in recent times and he took the last swig of wine in his glass with a large gulp as he saw another tray making its way toward him to be dispersed among everyone. He did his usual and dropped off his now empty glass and picked up his fourth.

"Well, that wasn't very hard! There ya' are Laddie! I was just comin' out to find ya'!"

Legolas curiously turned on his heels to find Gimli approaching him. The dwarf had dressed as lavishly as the stout being had ever been and his wiry hair was well groomed and held the usual braids of a Dwarvish warrior, marking his greatness and stature.

"Good evening Gimli." The prince tilted his head in greeting as his friend stood beside him.

"Have ya' had enough of this ballroom glam yet?" The dwarf clasped his hands behind his back and watched the dizzying scene of circular twirling.

Legolas raised a brow at the dwarf in question.

"Ah, come on Laddie, let's lose the formalities an' go celebrate like men! Éomer has tapped into a barrel of ale in the kitchen cellar. A few of us are in there having quite the party of our own! I think Éomer wants a rematch to the drinking game between you and I an-"

"Éomer wants a rematch? Or *_you_* want a rematch?"

"Eehh, well, we were telling Faramir 'bout our friendly little drinkin' contest after the war at Helms Deep and I don't think Faramir believes Éomer to be tellin' the truth that you an' I can drink as much as the Rohan King remembers. I think Éomer wants a rematch between the two of us to prove Faramir wrong. And to be honest lad, I wouldn't mind engaging in another contest. Ya' know, it was the only thing ya' have been able to beat me at-"

"Don't even go there Master Dwarf! I've said it plenty of times before… you've cheated!" Legolas shot the dwarf a lopsided grin that was very unusual for the prince to be wearing. Gimli noted the prince's speech and it was not as fluid as it usually was and was close to slurring as the noble Wood-elf used undignified contractions as he spoke. The dwarf eyed the glass of wine in the elf's hand and smirked.

"Sounds ta' me you've gotten an early start on it already! I may be able to win this time an' you can't accuse me of cheating, for this was your own doing! Come, Master Elf! Even if ya' don't want ta' drink, at least come an' defend our story to add some validation with our claims."

Gimli moved off toward a small door in the corner of the hall and the elf watched him for a moment. Quickly, the prince threw his head back as he practically shot the glass of wine he still held and placed the empty goblet on a passing tray to be discarded. He walked quickly after Gimli and followed him down a gloomy stone tunnel that held a flight of steep stone steps. A cool waft of stale air drifted up the hall and as the prince descended down the first step, he could hear a thunderous boom of laughter. The men below cheered at some remark or action that was lost to the elf and dwarf who made their way into the converted private party room.

The small interior was nearly dark and packed inside was a decent crowd of soldiers belonging to both Éomer's contingent and the men of Gondor. All in all, about thirty men were gathered around a haphazard table constructed of no more than a barrel and a plank of wood from a broken shelf. The only light in the space emanated from a single tiny lantern that hung on a hook above their heads and faintly, one could see space was lined with wooden counter tops and storage shelves. They were packed full of a vast assortment of canned goods and other provisions for the long winter months ahead. Against the far wall, a large wooden keg rested on its side and a tap had been driven into the sturdy oak barrel. Stacks of extra mugs sat beside it, waiting to be filled.

Éomer was talking, but the moment the blond elf cautiously entered the room, the king stood from his makeshift seat on a burlap sack of dried beans and wove his way between occupants to greet the Elven prince with his emerald green cloak wafting in everyone's face as he moved in the small room.

"Why, here he is! Master Elf, Lord Legolas!" He stepped in front of the prince and clasped him on the shoulder, then pulled him forward into a single-armed sturdy hug much to the elf's surprise. "It seems I missed catching up with you yesterday when we arrived! How are you? It is great to see you!"

Legolas returned the greeting sluggishly. There was a droning alarm beginning to creep about him and his once pleasant feelings were being snuffed out by an uncomfortable air as his depression and apprehension came back with a sudden vengeance. He could not tell why he was plagued this way so suddenly and severely, but he forced as much of a warm greeting back to the King of Rohan and did his best to ignore the unusual screaming warning passing through his mind.

"Yes, I apologize I missed you yesterday. I heard you arrived, but was unable to see you."

"Ah, well, you are here now!" Éomer waved off the apology as he looked to Legolas while he spoke. He noted with ease the uncharacteristic appearance of the prince; He was dressed elegantly that promenaded his royal heritage, but he didn't look right. He was much thinner than he remembered the Wood-elf to be and dark circles under his eyes painted a picture of exhaustion and unease. Éomer cocked his head in notice.

"Faramir has been keeping me up to date on the latest news in Ithilien. It sounds as though things are going well and you are busier than ever! But, do trees really require so much work that you cannot find time to rest?! You look as though you could use a drink!" Éomer laughed light-heartedly as did the rest of the men, but Legolas was a bit miffed at the comment and merely shook his head.

Someone began speaking from the table and all looked in the direction of the lethargic and slurred voice that was directed at them.

"On that note… I've been told that you're a remarkable drinker!" Faramir grinned lazily as the Steward leaned on the table. Everything in his appearance stated that he was already close to over indulgence with the ale.

Éomer accepted two passed mugs of brew from one of his men and handed one to Legolas and the other to Gimli. The elf tried to refuse it, but the clunky metal cup was pushed into his hands. Had he not gripped it, Éomer would have let the mug fall to the floor. Legolas could feel the renewed effects from the last glass of wine he consumed much too fast and resolved himself to simply hold the mug for looks rather than drink it.

"So tell me, Legolas…" Faramir looked to the elf. "Is what they are stating true? Did you and Gimli really drink *_that_* much? I find it hard to believe you were still able to walk away after you had won… *IF* this grand fish-tale is true." He questioned. Skepticism found its way into his stare and he crossed his arms as he leaned back in his seat to regard the elf.

"Well… that depends…" Legolas stated as he looked to the mug in his hands. He recalled the game many years ago, but how many mugs they actually drank was a bit hard to remember. "How much do they claim we drank? We did consume enough to be rather muddled, but that might not mean anything as far as volume goes."

"These two-" Faramir pointed a finger and quickly shook his hand at the wrist between Éomer and Gimli. "-stated that there were mountains upon mountains of empty mugs at your stations!"

"Mountains?" Legolas quirked an eyebrow at the dwarf. "Well… they were not heaping mountains… but If I can recall correctly we each had about fifteen or so."

"Fifteen?... Fifteen *_pints_*?" Faramir questioned back and Legolas nodded his head. "...Why that would be far more than enough to put even my most tolerant man under the table!"

"Rather I should say, *I*... had fifteen…" Legolas looked down to the dwarf standing next to him with a smile that barely contained a smug smirk. "Gimli only had fourteen."

"Fourteen… *_and a half_*!" Gimli emphasized the last bit not letting the elf out do him by and notion of a significant count.

"Ah ha! And there you have it! Straight from the horse's- errr- elf's mouth! Did I not tell you?!" Éomer said triumphantly as his allegations were proven to be true.

"That was still by far a smaller amount to the *'_mountains upon mountains_'* of mugs they supposedly had." Faramir grumbled as he gave Éomer a proving statement and took another swig from his mug.

"Those were the dwarf's words, not my own!" Éomer defended.

"Well to one of… his height... it would appear to be mountains." Faramir gave his brother-in-law a hard time as he tried to find any excuse to point out flaws in the unbelievable story. Everyone, including Gimli, laughed at the barb and lifted the mugs to their lips.

Legolas looked around the group of men in surprise as the dwarf was not irked over the comment. Very few people could get away with such a statement and this proved to be the case either due to the fact that they were all good friends which kept the dwarf in good spirits, or Gimli was too drunk already to notice the actual meaning of the remark. From the looks of it, it seemed to be a combination of both.

"Well," Éomer broke the halt in conversation as everyone resumed drinking. "Now that we are all here, let us get this party into full swing? What say you?"

There was a general "here-here" shouted by everyone. The cheer became a large boom of noise as the men agreed to the king's proposition at different times with various levels of enthusiasm.

"Not me!" Faramir swiped his hands in front of him in a cut-off motion. "I have already had more than is good for myself. If I had any sort of sense, which I do, I would know when to stop… and I do believe I have seen that time come and go."

"Already?" Éomer questioned as there was doubtful disappointment found within the Steward's decision and Éomer made no attempt to hide it. "But the night is young yet and we have only just begun!"

"No, no. I am already pushing my luck as it is. I do not want to have an angry wife on my hands." Faramir was doing everything he could to nobly back out.

"The only reason Éowyn would be angry is that you pussed out on us and she realized her husband is not a true man!" Though he was now a king, Éomer's old ways were returning. He had spent many long hard years as a Leader of the Riddermark and a well known grand pastime of the bunch was in fact, drinking and taunting one another. As the Horse Master relaxed and proved to have cared to his royal duties earlier in the day, Éomer saw it fit to cut loose and act in a way he was rarely allowed to do so, even in his own kingdom.

Gawking gasps and uncomfortable chuckles filled the room as Faramir shot Éomer a baffled look. The Steward could not believe what was just said to him. In his defiant ways, Faramir reached for another mug with dramatic actions and jumped his eyebrows to Éomer, proving he was not backing down and daring him to say another remark like that.

"That is more like it!" Éomer approved.

Legolas stood at the back of the room watching the whole scene unfold and he couldn't help but notice the similarities transpiring between Éomer and Faramir that were also found in the joking antics of Elladan and Elrohir. As true brothers would, they were constantly pushing each other and trying to make themselves look better than the other. Faramir and Éowyn had not been married more than eight years, but the brother-in-laws were acting as though they were related by blood and had been contending between each other their whole lives. It was quite interesting to watch.

"Now what do you say we get this drinking game started, hum?" Éomer slammed his mug on the table and the foaming liquid inside sloshed upon the table as the king rubbed his hands together in pleased anticipation. "Same rules as last time? Last one standing wins?!" his statements were closer to questions, checking to see if there were any objections to how the simple game was to be played.

The tiny room exploded in a rush of activity as a few men made themselves useful and began to fill the mugs up with ale. Éomer shrugged out of his cloak and draped it over a shelf at a far wall to get comfortable.

"And who will be joining this game of holding liquor?" Éomer asked the room, but other than the dwarf, no one stepped up. The riders from Rohan would always be happy to drink with their king, but *_against_* him was another matter. The soldiers of Gondor remained quiet too, for they did not think it wise to act in that sort of manner in front of their high Lord and Steward. "Will it be just a contest between the four noble men?"

"Aye!" The dwarf cheered and stepped up to the table and placed his hands on top of the wooden surface with a thud to rise to the occasion and intimidate the competition.

Éomer looked to Faramir who nodded uncertainly. He did not want to partake in this, especially in his already intoxicated state, but backing down in front of his brother-in-law was not a better choice for his pride and he slowly agreed.

"And what say you Master Elf?" Éomer peered over the heads of the men to the elf who stood closer to the back of the room and had been relatively quiet the whole time.

"Nay, I am quite fine just watching-" Legolas held his free hand up trying to surrender, but Éomer would have none of it.

"Nonsense! I insist! You must join us! Come, it is a challenge among the High Ranks!" Éomer motioned with his hand for the elf to step forward and when the elf did not move, Éomer's men stepped in to carry out their king's bidding. The men began to coral the elf towards the table and Faramir stood from his set to make more room for the extra people to stand. As the Steward stood, Legolas caught sight of his attire.

Faramir was dressed in his finest clothing, but he still clad himself proudly in his Gondorian jerkin. His ceremonial shirt was even more grand than the everyday garb and was made of the darkest woven wool. Stitched in threads of silken silver, was the high and mighty White Tree of Gondor. The small lantern shed its light softly over the occupants and the luminescence of the strands caught the faint glow in the room.

The warning Legolas felt flared into alarm as the hands that gripped him suddenly felt like harsh jerks of lustful desperation while the men closed in around him. The prince's heart began to gallop and he forced his stunned body to begin moving and fight. He dropped the mug of ale he was holding and started to resist. He pushed back to break free, but the hands held him tighter and pulled at him, forcing him to do what they wanted.

The elf's panic deepened and he could no longer think rationally. He could not see the friendly people around him and in his own eyes he saw strangers who wanted him. His surroundings changed and he found himself being dragged to the center of the dimly lit space of a worn-down abandoned store.

Legolas dug his heels into the stone floor, but his boots found no purchase on the smooth surface and he lost his ground as he was pulled forward. He tried to twist away, but the men thought him to be playing coy and didn't let up in the slightest as they eagerly pressed the elf prince forward to his awaited edge of the table. The group of men parted while the resisting elf was hauled forward.

The look of horror in Legolas' face was lost on the king as his attention was divided between the company already around the table. Éomer tediously inspected the levels of mead in each cup to ensure a fair game while giving light orders to complete the setup. The king of Rohan dimly realized Legolas was taking a long time to gain the table and Éomer reached out blindly to help encourage Legolas to come forward. However, the man kept his eyes on Faramir who was in the process of handing him more full steins to be dispersed at each station.

The elf was pushed towards Éomer's reaching hand and the king gripped Legolas' arm lightly. He could feel the tense movements coming from the elf as the man aided his soldiers in pulling the elf to the table. Éomer looked to Legolas briefly with a grin, but in a split second he saw terror in the wide blue eyes of the elf.

Suddenly, Éomer found the room oddly spinning in a flash, but in the next moment, Éomer found himself on the floor among a disassembled table and spilt ale. He could not comprehend how he had gotten there and sat among the spilled drink, dumbfounded while holding his throbbing cheek.

Legolas had seen his opportunity to escape his captors. He stepped forward quickly and delivered a quick punch, sending the man straight into the wooden table. The stunned soldiers halted all movement as they watched everything transpire and the elf was able to push past them quickly. He made for the stairwell and darted up the passage.

Faramir helped Éomer to his feet and the king looked around for the elf, but saw a swish of golden hair zip up the stairs. Though he did not fully comprehend what just happened, he knew something to be amiss. Once he was sure that the broken table had not hurt anyone, he too took off in a hurry after the fleeing elf. It was obvious Legoals was in distress, but why Éomer could not fathom and the king made haste to rectify the situation. Gimli had left as well and was making his way up the steps, but the former Rohirrim Rider had longer strides and quickly surpassed the dwarf in the narrow hall.

Legolas ran up the flight of stairs as fast as he could, jumping the stone landings in sets of two or even three at a time. He spilled out into the Hall of Fire where the ball was still being held and the elf froze again as his senses were distorted further.

The music in the hall became flat and slow, sarcastically keeping a steady swing with haunted notes. The spinning people slowed with the music and as the twirling people caught sight of him, they smiled.

But the expressions morphed into sneers. They were now laughing… laughing at him as they could clearly see his troubles which gave them reasons to laugh. The prickling sensation of sweat could be felt all over his trembling body and as he gasped for air, the recognizable lightheaded feeling began to claim him at this untimely moment.

The stairwell was filled with concerned shouts, and Legolas could hear Éomer along with a few others calling out, begging him to halt. The elf sought the exit of the hall swiftly and took off once more just as Éomer gained the last step with Gimli a single pace behind him.

"Wait! Prince Legolas! I did not mean-" Éomer called out over the loud music and talking of the hall, but Gimli gave the king a firm jerk, halting the plea.

"Let him go Lad. There will be no talkin' to him right now."

"What happened?! Is he alright?"

"This was not your doing Éomer. Just let him be. I'll go see if I can find him, but do not fret over this."

With a sigh to gather up his determination, Gimli calmly left the hall without much notice and made his way towards the prince's rooms.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

* * *

**Meanwhile**

After the dinner hour ended, Tauriel headed back to her rooms to change into an outfit that would be better suited for the ball. Again she found herself questioning her choices in wardrobe but the green gown and brown cloak made a second calling and she had no difficulties giving in. This festive time was filled with noble folk and she wanted to look her best among the company. While the rest of her gifted clothing was no less fitting for the occasion, her decision became based on comfort and the resemblance the green and brown fabrics had to the fashions of the Woodland Realm brought that peace of mind.

Yet that peace was slightly tainted with unease as she thought about the grand party and the limited number of those whom she would know. She had been spending a lot of time with Elrohir lately and while she thought him to have great character traits and a warm personality, she could see there was longing spark deep inside the Noldor elf. She knew she did not feel the same way for him, and did not want to lead him on, but she hoped that there was just a misunderstanding on her part for he had not made any advances on her and so far had only sought her company as a friend would.

She wanted to keep it that way.

She was getting along quite well with the Queen of Gondor, Arwen and even the Lady of Ithilien, Éowyn, but each had high and dignified titles that would surely keep them occupied with the royal duties of hosting. Out of the rest of her acquaintances she had in this place, that left her with very few individuals to keep company with tonight.

Gimli was an easy person to be with and out of everyone, she seemed to be the most at ease with. The dwarf was quite a happy soul and loved to talk. When they would converse, most of the conversation was one sided as he would be quick to re-tell a story with vivid artistry and comical remarks of some historical or adventurous happenings he was witness to. All Tauriel had to do was let the dwarf take her imagination wherever he wanted and she enjoyed getting lost in the woven fiction he swore to be true. She too was able to tell stories and shared into the grand swapping of tales, but sometimes it was easier just to let the dwarf talk.

But then her thoughts drifted to Legolas and she began to question if her presence here was justified. Despite how the former Prince of Mirkwood told her she was welcome to join the rest of the elves in Ithilien, there was an uneasiness when she thought of him… and she suddenly found that it was in fact *he* whom she was not comfortable with, rather than the situation.

Tauriel sighed.

She had no one but herself to blame for this as she recalled their past that did not exactly end well after she broke his heart and they were each left to walk in the wake of their own heartache for several decades.

Then again, Legolas had been very adamant that he tried to find her and had been searching for years, indicating that he held no resentment towards her. But there was a guilt found within her heart after everything that transpired between them. She had not answered for her wrongs, nor had she attempted to fix them.

But these self accusations did not speak for everything and she knew she was not the only one ill at ease. She could sense that there was something more going on with the prince and she had seen a small glimpse of it in his eyes the night they were talking in the hallway outside her rooms. After those few brief moments of surprise and nervousness, the prince had not shown his face around her since, and she began to wonder if Legolas was still trapped in the past.

With a sigh to clear her thoughts, she went on to continue getting ready for the ball. She ran a brush through her hair to free a few snags that may have worked their way into the long tress, and then she found her fingers weaving a few delicate braids into her hair. After a quick check in the mirror, she gave herself a satisfied smile and headed out of her rooms and made her way to the Hall of Fire where the festivities would continue into the early morning hours.

After a ceremonious prayer and everyone partook in a toast of champagne, the center of the room became a flutter of activity as the music started up and people were trying to either pair up for dancing, or get out of everyone's way.

She glanced about to try and find a familiar face, but there were so many people in the hall and so many faces to look at, she could not find a single person who was recognizable. She stepped to the side of the dancing area and continued to look about, but her vision was obscured by a sudden mass of red.

A servant stepped up to Tauriel and held a tray of wine glasses before her face. He placed the tray within a few measures away from her, offering her the opportunity to take one. She grabbed a glass with a nod of thanks and as the servant turned to another person nearby to offer them a drink, Tauriel caught sight of Elrohir leaning against a stone pillar by the fireplace. She stepped up to the servant to grab a second glass of wine and made her way over to the Noldor-elf.

She paused a moment to ask herself if this is really what she should be doing; continuing to associate with the elf that she knew had feeling for her, yet she could not reciprocate the same to him. However, the thought of spending the night in the huge space among a crowd and completely alone pushed her worries away and she began to walk once again to the raven haired elf who was nodding to passerbys that he seemed to know. She approached him calmly and coolly so she did not seem eager, nor send him the wrong signals. She held out the extra glass of wine and gave him a pleasant smile in greeting.

"Good Evening. Just as we had planned the other night, here is a glass of the king's wine. Would you care to enjoy it with me? I have to say, this looks delicious, but I do not think it to be any comparison to that of King Thranduil's stash." She said and handed the cup to the elf who looked at her with a questioning smirk.

"We planned this? … Are you sure?"

"Quite! You said we ought to have a glass of wine together so I may help you understand what it would be like to enjoy some of Thranduil's fabled wine. You said-."

The elf before her let out a small laugh cutting off the rest of what she had to say. "While it would be my pleasure to enjoy this wine and partake in this with you, I have no wishes to betray you…"

"What are you talking about?" She squinted her eyes at the Noldor-elf in question.

"It kills me to think how much fun I could have with this opportunity… but I must confess so as not to make you uncomfortable nor play any jokes on you…. yet." The last word was a bit dramatic and curt with playful anticipation.

Tauriel looked to the person with confusion. She was totally lost.

"I believe you have mistaken me for my brother… I am Elladan." The Noldor-elf smiled with amusement and Tauriel blushed deeply.

"Oh… Elladan, I… I am sorry." Tauriel's voice was shadowed by either disappointment or embarrassment and she stumbled on her response. "I did not mean-"

"Do not fret. This happens all the time." He reassured as though it were nothing out of the ordinary and he looked about the room to try and find his identical brother. "Even close friends who have known us for centuries get the two of us crossed so we have become quite used to it."

She smiled in relief that she did not offend the noble elf, but Elladan did not see it as he caught sight of his brother walking about and called for him to join them.

"Elrohir!" He shouted and when his brother turned his head to the sound of his own name being called, the oldest twin curled the fingers of his hand a few times, motioning for him to make his way over.

Elrohir needed no further prompting and he strode over to the pillar where his brother and Tauriel stood.

"There you are!" He beamed happily. "I have been looking through the masses but could not seem to locate either of you!" He looked between his brother and Tauriel with a large easy smile then he turned to Tauriel to ask a question. "So, Tauriel, what do you think? Is this not a grand holiday?"

"This is just as you have described it to be." She said. While her words were not very convincing one way or another, her tone was warm and pleased as she replied. She picked her words carefully around the younger twin for she did not want him to think she was completely receptive to his every word, but she could not help but think this was an exceptional occasion, even if it was celebrated by mortals.

"I was trying to find some wine for us to partake in…" Elrohir said, but looked at the clear goblet in his brother's hand and the identical one Tauriel held. "-but it seems you two have already found it." Elrohir looked about as he tried to find a servant, but Tauriel eyed the closest one and picked a glass from the tray and handed it to him.

"And the search has come to a close..." Elrohir remarked with mild humor as he took the glass with pleased acceptance. "Have you tasted it yet?" He asked of Tauriel and the she-elf shook her head.

"I have not. It seems I cannot tell you apart from your brother and we were waiting for you."

"Ah… well, I suppose we do bear a *_slight_* resemblance to one another…." Elrohir said easily and looked to Tauriel who did not understand what he was saying. They were twins, of course they looked alike. "Twas a joke my lady." Elrohir said with a contained chuckle.

"Oh… Oh!" Tauriel was at a loss for words and the fact that she did not catch the easy joke left her feeling awkward. She blushed and looked between the brothers before she dropped her sights to her wine glass with a nervous laugh.

The brothers looked to one another and Elladan had to suppress his amused expression as he noted the chase had been set between the two and it could not have been any more stiff or clumsy. Oh, how he would rip into his brother over this and tease him mercilessly... It was not a bad start, but in his mind it could have been smoother… much smoother.

"So," Elrohir held his glass up slightly to gesture with it. "let us hold this tasting of wine..." he said eagerly to Tauriel, and *_only_* to Tauriel.

"I shall be departing then." Elladan piped up. "You two have a good time... and do not drink too much." He said as he gave a bow to leave.

"You will not join us?" Tauriel asked a little surprised.

"Nay, I will let the two of you have your wine tasting - as *_you two_* planned." He winked to Tauriel with a sly smile.

"No you should join us!" Tauriel said suddenly finding herself a little apprehensive to be left alone with the younger twin. This situation could easily be misread and with a third party to help cut the tension it could remain friendly rather than turn intimate.

Elladan smiled to Tauriel but eyed his twin to see his reaction. Elrohir was practically glaring back at him, using the intensity in his eyes to ask his brother to leave. He wanted to have some time alone with Tauriel so the two could further connect.

"My Lady-" Elladan tried again to back out of this as his brother wished, but his counter was almost instantly cut off by Tauriel's happy and demanding chirp.

"I insist!" She smiled and raised an elegant brow to the oldest brother, demonstrating that she spoke the truth and was steadfast with her request. She looked to Elrohir and smiled to him. "Right? Should he not join us?" She knew exactly what she was doing and wanted to get Elrohir to agree with her despite his own intentions that way her point would be validated.

"Uh- Yes! He should!" Elrohir agreed happily, but when Tauriel turned back to his brother, he could not help but roll his eyes in frustration and Elladan did not miss a moment of it. He let out another chuckle, but led Tauriel to believe that he was pleased with the invitation, not humored by his brother's disappointment.

"Well, Lady Tauriel if you insist, then I cannot deny you. Thank you." He said and eyed his brother with worried brows trying to show he was sorry for the intrusion.

"I have to say…" Tauriel said as if to contemplate the matter she was speaking of. "It surprises me that you have known Legolas for so long, yet both of you claim to have not had any of King Thranduil's wine. Did you not have any on upon your stays in Mirkwood?"

"Well..." Elladan began but only looked to his glass as he stalled. He knew Tauriel was once Captain of the Guard in Mirkwood and was probably very loyal to Thranduil. He did not wish to speak ill of her former king. However, Elrohir did not care and finished what his brother began to say.

"We spent very little time in Mirkwood's palace. It was not that we did not want to be in Prince Legolas' good company, but we did not want to be in the…. stern presence of the king. When we stayed in Mirkwood it was only when necessary and more often than not we would end up leaving on some grand adventure with the prince and Estel among us. Our visits in Mirkwood were usually spent in the forests or on the outskirts of the woods."

"And Legolas spent a good deal of time in Rivendell with us. Most of our visits with the prince was at our home, not his." Elladan added.

Tauriel grinned a little wickedly. "You two were scared of Thranduil?"

"Scared? No! We would have rather spent the time away from him if it could be helped. I know he was a good king, but we did not always agree with the way he allowed his temper to handle situations."

"Ah yes..." Taurel agreed. She knew too well what the twins were saying. She needed no further explanation on it. They were not the only ones to think that Thranduil had a rather sour mood.

"But let us not criticize the Woodland King. He is no longer here and in the end, he did the best for his people, did he not?" Elladan jumped in. The conversation was getting slightly edgy and all three elve's mood seem to decrease with the unpleasant discussion of an unpleasant king.

Elrohir was only too glad to agree and took hold of the conversation. "So…. Wine…" he held the glass up slightly to capture everyone's attention. "By looks alone, how does this compare to that of Mirkwood's royal stash?" He brought the cup back to his possession and looked over the brim into the pool of red drink.

Well…" Tauriel swirled the vino in the glass bowl of the goblet and analyzed what she saw. "If I can recall correctly, I believe Thranduil's wine was much darker in color. This is a ruby red whereas his was more garnet."

"Interesting..." Elladan noted quietly but quirked a thoughtful brow. He looked from his cup to the she-elf only to find Tauriel holding her glass under her nose. She softly inhaled the aroma of the drought and Elrohir followed her lead.

"It certainly smells divine!" Tauriel remarked. "But this is..." she took another waft from the glass and thought for a moment. "This smells… sweet and bitter at the same time, yet the bouquet of it is oddly one sided… it lacks a richness that Thranduil's wine had."

"And what is that richness that is not found here?" Elladan was intrigued by all of her comments and he too tested the smell if his wine.

"Well… it was a hearty smell… very dark and it smelled… old? Perhaps that is the term I am looking for..."

"I wonder if it is the barrels that are used to age it." Elladan said as he took another sniff. "I believe this wine was stored in chestnut barrels… whereas the Mirkwood barrels, I would assume, would be either redwood or oak for that was the majority of the forest composition, was it not?"

"It was... and we used oak, for the wood was much stronger and could last a while as we sent them down a river to Laketown for other provisions when we traded. Redwood was a little too soft to survive the long aquatic journey." She took another smell of her glass to try and rule out the possibility of another scent, but it was missing the predominant woody smell that was usual to Thranduil's wine.

"that will affect the taste, I am sure." Elrohir added to try and sound like he knew more on this subject than he really did.

"Probably." Tauriel smiled to herself but said no more. She pulled the glass to her lips where she sipped the refined nectar and the twins did the same. All three let the wine roll over their tongues a few times to get the full taste of the draught before it was swallowed down. Each looked slightly suspicious as they tried to decipher the complex tastes found in the liquid but the sapidity began to morph once swallowed and it changed the whole experience.

"Oh my..." Tauriel said and looked delightedly surprised at the glass that sat easily in her fingers. "That was unexpectedly delicious!"

"You were expecting it to be bad?" Elladan asked with a hint of laughter. This was royal wine. No matter it's make or origin, if it was good enough to be sought out by a palace, its reputation would not be lacking.

"No! I just meant that this was not the taste I was expecting to experience. It is… light for a red wine, and very well rounded in taste. There is hardly any bitterness in it at all… and surprisingly… it is very smooth to have been sorted in anything other than oak…. unless there is very little alcohol in here to prevent it from being harsh..." She looked to the glass again as she studied the red liquid.

Elladan let out another humored laugh. "Oh if you have another glass or two, you will not be thinking that for very long."

Tauriel swirled the wine vigorously once more in the cup so the red liquid fanned up the sides of the glass. She stopped abruptly and held the glass up to the light of a chandelier and scrutinized what she saw.

"Well, there is alcohol in here for sure, but it is not nearly as much as what I am used to."

"And how can you tell by looking at it?" Elrohir asked. He too held the glass up the light to try and pick out a hint as to what Tauriel saw, but was lost on what she was looking at.

"It is the 'tears of wine'… Here..." Tauriel swirled the glass once more, repeating every step she had just done while explaining a simple process. "When there is a lot of sugar in the wine, it causes the liquid to hold a thin coating on the glass briefly." She stopped the motions and held the glass once again to the light, pointing to the areas within the clear cup where liquid remained on the walls of the cup and slowly dripped back into the bowl. "The more sugar found in the wine, the more liquid will remain on the glass for a time."

"Huh..." Elrohir simply stated in thoughtful wonder. He had enjoyed many spirits in his life, but this technique was new to him and was trying to follow the logic of sugar.

"And you are healers, are you not? You should know chemical makeups... alcohol primarily consists of…" she let her statement halt to let the twins ponder over it.

"Sugar!" Elladan said as the pieces clicked into place. "So the higher the sugar content, the more the liquid clings to the glass therefore indicating the alcohol content!"

"Precisely!"

"I thought that was a trick used to tell the quality of the wine." Elrohir thought for a moment. "You gently stir it and then see if there are any particles left over in the wine..."

"I have never heard of that… Quality is usually based off taste and smell...one cannot see the way something tastes nor smells."

Elrohir lightly pursed his lips with a nod in understanding. "You sure do have a lot of experience in wine." Elrohir said suddenly feeling uneasy about his lacking expertise.

"Well, I told you I grew up on Thranduil's wine - and you do not simply drink it without hearing every little detail about it. I am no connoisseur, but I am not unfamiliar with the rituals used to properly enjoy a glass. And this wine is splendid! It is its own brew and one that cannot really be compared to another equally, but for that reason, it is unique and very distinct. I think I rather like it… a lot." She said with a smile and brought the glass to her lips again as she took another drink of the wine. "It is still not like that of home…" Her thoughts turned inward and her tone was a bit distant as she spoke, but caught herself and put a stop to it quickly. "...but it is still impressive."

"Well, now that you have described it to me, I wish there was a way to enjoy wine from Mirkwood and have a proper compare." Elrohir said.

"As do I." Tauriel agreed quietly and looked to her glass to keep the unease hidden. Elrohir did not miss the way Tauriel spoke and felt the shift in atmosphere at the simple statement.

"You miss Mirkwood, don't you?" Elrohir asked. They had touched briefly on the subject of banishment from their talking over the past few days, but never really went into great detail over the matter.

"I miss..." Tauriel thought for a moment. She did miss her old homeland but she was hesitant to answer. "I do miss Mirkwood. But it is no longer there… At least as I remember it being. I have been through after the elves left and it is nothing like the home I used to know. All of my favorite places are gone and those that do still stand do not hold the same magic it once had when my people-" again she caught herself. She had no people. "The elves of Mirkwood resided there."

Both twins could not fathom having a favored place in those murky and evil infested woods that Tauriel once called home, but then again, they knew very little of the forests of Mirkwood. Legolas always seemed to be fond of them so there had to be a few places that were not so tainted. Even in the places they did visit when with the prince, they could faintly pick up on a sickness even with their limited insight with connections to trees and nature.

Tauriel casually looked over the crowd and caught sight of Legolas standing on the other side of the hall watching the people move about with a blank expression on his face. He had been very distant during dinner and as she watched the prince begin to converse with Arwen, her heart longed to have her old friend back. They used to be so close, and now that they had reunited, she found he barely spoke to her… he barely spoke to anyone for that matter.

"And what might those places be?" One of the twins asked, but she could not tell who for she was not looking at them. She turned back to the small company before her with a sad smile

"There was one place that I loved probability above all else. There was a great spruce tree about a mile or so from the palace. It towered above the rest of the trees around it and the very top branches were able to penetrate the oak canopy. There was a spot in the very top where several branches grew oddly close together and created the perfect place to take a seat; one branch under you, the other at your back almost like a bench. It was large enough for two and I spent a good deal of time in that tree.

"You were graced with an expansive sight of the surrounding forest and no matter the time of year, you had a wondrous and unique view of the area. That tree was beautiful... And if it were a still night, no wind disturbed the trees, you could balance on the delicate top branches and look out over the other treetops. There you could see the light of the stars fill the sky…." Her voice drifted off as if she were looking at the place in her mind and was currently watching the heavens and the twinkling light above. Her tone changed from dreamy to factual as she caught herself drifting off and remembering all the times she and her friends would spend in the tree and filled the twins in on it.

"The tree was a go-to place for both myself and Legolas. After a long patrol, or if Thranduil was in a foul mood, we would seek that place out and... do what we are doing now…." She raised her wine glass slightly indicating what she meant. "Being prince, he had access to his father's wine and knew Thranduil would not notice an occasional missing bottle or two. He would bring some wine to share and I would get the kitchen staff to pack us a few snacks and then we would leave to enjoy a quiet evening in the branches of the mighty tree. There were times when our friends joined us, and there were time when it was just the two of us, but no matter the company, it was a great place to be."

She looked back over to the prince across the room, but the area where he stood was vacant.

"Tauriel?" Elrohir called her name. He could see she longed to be back home and racked his brain for anything to say to save the conversation.

"What about you?" She turned quickly to Elrohir and asked, this time all sadness and longing was completely gone as she sought to pull herself away from that hurtful place in her mind. "Do you have any favorite places where you would spend a great deal of time and could lose yourself to whatever thoughts or company you chose?" she asked to try and shift the attention from herself.

Elrohir thought for a moment, then an idea came to mind. "Actually... yes… There is one place that had recently become a favorite place to both myself and brothers."

Elladan knew instantly what his brother was speaking of. "The tower?" He asked and Elrohir nodded in agreement.

"It is the tower here in Minas Tirith and it too has a marvelous overlook. The sight is beyond anything I have ever seen in my life... Would you like to see it? It is not far from here and I can guarantee it will not be a disappointment."

Tauriel hesitated in her reply and brought the glass to her mouth to take another sip of wine. Through the curvature of the glass, she found Legolas and Arwen dancing among the people and a small shot of sorrow touched her heart. He looked to be happy with Arwen as they swayed with the rest of the crowd. Perhaps it was just her he was not pleased with.

She turned back to Elrohir and took him up on his offer. "I would very much so like to see this place."

"Great!" Elrohir was ecstatic over this and all three elves drank the wine left in their glasses and discarded them with a passing servant. They picked their way through the crowd and exited the Great Hall down one of the main corridors.

Elrohir lead the way and after a few moments of walking through the passageway, Tauriel was aware that one person in the company suddenly went missing. It was just herself and Elrohir walking through the palace. She took a look behind her to see if she could find the missing twin, but it was as though Elladan had simply disappeared.

Elrohir stopped for a second to allow Tauriel's strides to bring her beside him and he resumed walking, though now he was next to her. He had a very pleasant look upon his face and from time to time, he would steal a glance at Tauriel who kept her eyes fixed on the nothingness in the hall. She could feel him looking at her and she suddenly found the situation quiet intimate and completely awkward.

"It seems we have lost your brother. Should we not go back for him?" She asked to try and find an excuse to either get someone else or leave entirely, but Elrohir would have none of it and did not even hesitate on the matter.

"Nay. He knows his way around this place quite well, if he wants to join us later, he may. But I would love for you to get a glimpse of this sight. It truly is magical and will be something not easily forgotten. Come. It is not far away."

Tauriel gulped. She did not want to be rude to him since she was a guest in his brother's palace, and his brother was a king, not to mention that he himself was a noble elf. So she followed Elrohir reluctantly through the halls until they came to a set of doors that lead outside. As the dark haired elf pushed the doors open, Tauriel could see a very grand and nearly vacant court before them. A carpet of green grass grew and was broken up only by a narrow stone path that began at the landing they were standing upon and stretched a ways to some point near the center of huge space. There, the path created a circle around a shallow reflecting pool that was positioned beside a single mighty tree. The smooth bark was almost white in color and a few stubborn, almond shaped leaves clung to its upturned branches as Autumn could not steal these few precious gems from the tree.

Standing around the circle were four stationed guards with their royal winged helmets all facing the tree. They were clad in the heaviest of armor and the tip of their spears caught the starlight, indicating they were dangerously sharp.

It was odd these guards were taking positions where they were. To Tauriel, it looked as though the men were guarding the tree itself, but that idea seemed silly to the elf. Humans surely would not care for a single tree. Had this been seen in an Elven land, perhaps it would make sense, but this was no Elven realm and the picture before her befuddled the elf.

"What are they doing?" Tauriel whispered to Elrohir and pointed to the guards.

"They are guarding the White Tree of Gondor."

"They *_are_* guarding a tree?"

"Yes. That tree holds a lot of importance to the kingdom. That is why it is guarded so."

Tauriel looked surprised.

"Would you like to see it?" Elrohir offered, but before Tauriel could answer, he walked forward and motioned with his hand for her to follow him down the stone path.

The elves made their way down the walk and came to stand before the great tree. Elrohir looked up into the branches, but Tauriel only glanced at it. She was a little more concerned about the guards that were intently watching the two. If it were possible for the situation to become more awkward, it did.

"This is the White Tree of Gondor." Elrohir said. He stepped a bit closer to Tauriel so they could converse quietly. "There is a lot of history with this tree… or rather, with the idea of this tree. Isildur, one of Gondor's early kings, loved the unique tree species and planted one in this very spot. The legends say that Isildur was once wounded and not but a few days passed and the White Tree blossomed. It was then, that Isildur became healed of his wounds. Since that time, the tree has been a symbol of peace, strength, healing and prosperity among the people of Gondor.

"The original tree that stood here has been replaced a few times. When my brother, Elessar, came to power, the last tree that stood here had perished and he ordered it to be cut down and it was taken to the tombs of kings to be laid to rest. But he and a wizard, Gandalf, were out in the forests upon the mountains and found a sapling of the species. Elessar transplanted the small tree in the old one's place and now it is growing tall and strong and has become a renewed symbol of power that is growing, along with the renewed king."

"It is very beautiful. So… different from other trees I have seen." Tauriel said. She was now studying the tree before her and it became clear why it was being guarded for this tree was precious to the kingdom. The two stood there for a time and the slight breeze stirred their hair and flowing clothing. After a while, Tauriel began to look at all the rest of her surroundings and Elrohir kept his sights to the tree.

"Well I did not drag you all the way out here to look at a tree. Come, let us continue!" Elrohir said and swept his hands to the side, showing another path that lead down the rest of the court that seemed to drag on forever. Tauriel followed the direction indicated and as the two walked away from the tree's reflecting pool, the lawn that blanketed the area began to narrow as the grassy carpet stretched out to a distant point ahead, then seemed to vanish into thin air.

"Here... I want this to be a surprise…" Elrohir stopped abruptly and reached for Tauriel to do the same. She looked at him questioningly.

"May I cover your eyes until we get to the end?" Elrohir asked. Tauriel gave a stiff nod and Elrohir stepped behind her to place his hands over her eyes, keeping her in a world of darkness and he pressed his body against hers to encourage her to walk again.

"Just trust me, you will love this. This is my favorite spot in this whole palace and it will be a sight you will never forget." Elrohir encouraged and he guided Tauriel to the end of the court.

Tauriel knew the ground to be flat and level for she had observed it as such before her eyes were kept closed, but her steps were hesitant anyway. She kept tripping on her dress now that she could not see and Elrohir caught her as she began to fall time and time again.

Walking down the long narrow path felt like it took hours, but Elrohir brought them to a stop suddenly and he drew himself closer to the she-elf and he leaned to her ear and spoke in a warm whisper.

"Ok My Lady. Are you ready? The sight is magnificent, but can be a bit of a startle at first. I know we elves are not nearly as cautious around heights, but just know, I will not let you fall..."

With that, Elrohir dropped his hands from Tauriel's face and lowered them to hover slightly on her shoulders, prepared to catch her if shock should set in.

The scene took Tauriel instantly, leaving her gaping at the vast, panoramic landscape before her. Elrohir spoke the truth, for this really was a magnificent sight. The courtyard they had traversed over simply fell away and she was left standing at the edge of a mighty cliff that was the towering point of the kingdom. From here, her sights were unrestricted and she had a bird's eye view of the city below and a sweeping outlook of the flat expanse of fields, trees, mountains and a river these lands contained.

Her breath was stolen.

"Oh my... this…. this is beautiful!" she whispered in fascination. Never in her life has she seen anything like this and she knew, from here on out, no matter how much time passed, where she was, or how old she would be, she would never forget this moment and the sight she was able to behold.

"But wait..." Elrohir pointed off to some distant point and she could not tell if it was the land he was pointing at or the sky, but she looked out into the plains and followed the invisible line of his finger. "It will only get better. Let the clouds move from sight. You must see this rare moon along the horizon that the Valar has graced us with tonight."

As if on cue, the few streaking clouds in the sky were swept away and the moon was reviled.

Tauriel's breath caught in her throat as a shocked gasp left her lips. Her heart began to hammer in her chest and she stood there rigid and completely stunned.

It was a Fire Moon.

A distant memory of warm words spoken surfaced and she could recall a large feast taking place, much like the one that was presently going on. That fateful night was spent talking with a young dwarf whom she felt a connection to instantly.

**_"I saw a Fire-Moon once. It rose over the pass near Dunland. Huge! Red and gold it was. It filled the sky..."**_

Tauriel could not breathe and her heart was pounding with an intense longing. This was the same reaction every time she saw a red moon. This rare beautiful sight always took her back to another time and always made her think of the one person her heart desired.

Kili.

Elrohir felt her change and brought his hands up to grip her arms, concerned she would fall from the beautiful sight. He was so close he could feel her heart beating erratically and his heart began to quicken as well.

"It is beautiful, is it not?" He whispered. "I have held this gaze many times... Even with the same moon, but tonight, something even more beautiful has been added to it." he said in Tauriel's ear.

Tauriel's eyes were welling up with tears at the sight before her.

"Tauriel..." Elrohir called out to her softly and began to press on her, trying to get her to turn around.

Tauriel dropped her head as the tears in her eyes fell. She turned to face Elrohir, who cupped her chin in his hand and guided her face up to meet his compassionate gaze. His heart was thumping and his hands were trembling, ever-so-slightly with the rush of excitement coursing through him.

But then he saw the tear streaks upon her ivory cheeks and became confused instantly.

"Please tell me these are the tears of unspoken words for beauty and awe... Tauriel?" He tipped her head gently and gave her a warm smile while his eyes glistened with hope.

"Elrohir. I know why you have brought me out here. I am flattered, but-" Her words were cut off by a quivering intake of air. "I cannot give you what your heart seeks. I have no heart to give. I... I am sorry."

Tauriel pushed her way past Elrohir and ran down the courtyard as fast as she could, leaving the startled elf in his place.

"My Lady Tauriel! Please!... Wait!"

Tauriel stopped only for an instant as she turned back to face the elf again.

"No! My heart already belongs to another..." A hiccupping sob escaped her lips. "I will never be able to see him again, but my heart does every night in dreams. I have no heart to give you."

Tauriel wasted no time and turned back to the stone palace and bolted for the doors and disappeared behind their thick wooden screen.

Elrohir watched Tauriel vanish from sight along with all of his hopes.

He let out dejected sigh but was not sure what to do. Part of him wanted to go after her, but he was too stunned to make his body move. Slowly, he turned to seek comfort in the sight of the unique red moon while he nursed his heavy heart.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

* * *

Legolas left the hall with haste. The music muffled through the stone walls and became softer and more muddled the further the elf traveled away from the massive hall. All sounds of celebration began to dissipate until there was nothing but silence. Even the barely auditable tapping of his boot heels went unheard and he practically ran through the palace. His mind was blacked out as traumatic, distorted images from past events plagued his thoughts and before he even knew where he was headed, he found himself standing outside of his chambers.

He brought his hand to the wooden door to open it, but a flash of an abandoned, cold, dark, and worn down shack passed through his mind and he recoiled his hand sharply as if the door had burned his fingers. He no longer had any desire to enter his rooms, knowing that there was no place to go within them and the familiar, unpleasant trapped sensation started to well up in his core. He had spent too much time behind those walls and knew there was no comfort to be found within his own private rooms.

His ears picked up the heavy treading of the dwarf's gate as Gimli made his way down the stone hall. Clarity began to return to the Wood-elf and he realized with a ping of guilt what had just happened and how he had assaulted yet another friend in terrorized confusion. First it was Elrohir, now it Éomer…. this grated painfully on the prince's nerves and he wondered if this would ever stop.

"Legolas? Laddie?" Gimli called out from around the corner of the hall, but the elf did not answer him. He did not want to be around anyone, especially a friend whom he would most likely attack due to a renewed onslaught of hazy nightmares. He appreciated the fact that Gimli was constantly keeping an eye out for him, but right now he needed to be alone and calm down.

He wanted so bad to be alone somewhere but nearly every hall, every room and every corner of the kingdom was occupied by patrons of the celebration. There were no empty spaces to seek any solace but the elf was determined to find a place to go. He pressed on, leaving his rooms and the dwarf behind as he made his way further down the white aisles, searching for a place where he would not be disturbed.

Legolas had always been permitted to wonder about the kingdom, but he never took it for granted. While he felt comfortable in his friend's palace, he did not go places he had no business being and usually kept his whereabouts to more public areas when he stayed. But now, he took full advantage of his freedoms to go where he chose and made his way past all of the guest quarters, and began to enter the solitude found closest to Aragorn's chambers.

He continued down the hall and the elf barely noticed when he walked right by the grand ornate doors to the king's private rooms. The long passageway passed in a blur until the elf suddenly realized he was walking down unfamiliar halls. Though this walkway was not blocked off, it felt like a private wing due to the close proximity to the king's rooms and the elf proceeded with caution.

A few closed doors were set in the white walls, but oddly enough, he had no desire to open them and find out what the rooms contained. For all he knew, they could be empty lounges and exactly what he thought he wanted, but he became uncomfortable in this foreign place and he felt like he was snooping.

Instead of looking to the repetitive doors, he began to notice art that was hung only on these walls. Grand picture frames held sheets of canvas taught to keep the scenes even and flat over the woven cloth surfaces. He slowed his pace as he looked over the images that were depicted. The art was a diverse collection of beautifully portrayed landscapes, powerful and moving battle scenes, proud kings of past times and Gondor's beautiful queens. He strolled a few more paces down the hall but halted his steps as he was struck by a particular piece of art.

Painted in hues of blues, grays and taupes, he found a scene of the rolling ocean. Waves exploded along the shoreline and the dark waters frothed as they churned over and over again. The water stretched on into the background of the picture where it met up with the sky and Legolas brought his face close to it, looking into the depths of oil paint that was brushed in layers to create the picture.

He longed to be there.

He wanted so badly to be at those shores and begin his journey home. The panic the elf had broke away, but he was left with the tormented agony brought on by the heart crushing intensity of the sea longing. Legolas was transfixed on the picture and lost himself in the scene.

The sill-frame before him began to move as the waves started to roll and crash on a sandy beach. Legolas blinked, then found himself standing on the loosely packed grit that was heaped into smooth, golden dunes. The palace was no longer in sight and he found himself truly surrounded by the foreign place.

He stood there a moment, perched on top of a rounded top, looking at the beach just below; the sporadic tufts of beach grass nodded towards the glittering blue ocean with each gust of wind. Seagulls gracefully fanned their wings, catching the tangy breeze in their white and gray feathers while riding the puffs of air to new heights in the desert sky above. Legolas strained his ears to hear the gulls cry out, but to his dismay, they made no sound and continued to circle over the mass of blue liquid before him. A line of pelicans glided by in a low line that hovered precisely over the water's surface and continued their lazy flight down the beach until his Elven sights could see them no more.

The elf took a step and began his descent down the dunes. Walking felt odd for the sand was unstable and gave way, even to his uniquely slight Elven weight. He looked back over his path trying to find his tracks, but like snow, his boots made almost no impressions over the ambiguous earth.

Each step took him closer to the sea and every step became quicker until he had jogged to the water's edge. As he ran, bizarre, small shuffling creatures darted here and there and disappeared into small holes that were dug into the soft sand. He tried to catch a proper glimpse of them, but the scurrying forms looked like hand sized, sideways stepping spiders with two large pincers being held over their face.

At the crest of the beach, the dry, loose sand was met by a smooth, wet, compact version of the same soil that had been transformed by the passing waves. There, he halted his advancement and watched as the cool surf rushed forward across the sand, pausing for a moment just inches away from the toes of his boots. Then, slowly, the tide pulled back and drained into the large blue abyss before another lap replaced what was dissipated.

Legolas closed his eyes for a moment, letting the sounds of the beach take over his senses. The thunderous crash of the waves created a continuous rumble. The foaming water surged forward again and again, filling the beach with a refreshing, crisp sizzle as the millions of air bubbles that were trapped in the churning sea broke the surface of the water. The gentle and ever present breeze caressed his face and fingered through his hair. It made a continuous effort to pull at his clothing, bidding him to take a step closer to the water. The sea was encouraging him to come home and was doing everything it could to claim ownership of the elf that gaped in haunted fascination at the ocean before him.

He opened his eyes and looked over the vast expanse of the sea and sky that surely had no end. White caps peaked in the distance beyond the crashing waves, growing and bursting like Gandalf's famous fireworks over the water's surface. The ocean undulated in a synchronized sway as far as the eye could see. In the blue heavens, large billowing clouds were being swept away by the salted air currents like ships set to sail and followed the guidance of the wind and sea, vanishing over the very distant western horizon.

Time did not matter, the surrounding kingdom of Minas Tirith had melted away and for a few moments, Legolas forgot who he was, what he was doing and why he was here. He stood before the beach, wide-eyed and breathless as he studied it.

The prince dropped to a crouch and waited for another lap of water to come forth. The sea repeated the neverending motions and soon a fresh swell of water rushed towards the prince. He brought a cautious hand to the sea, reaching out to try and touch the waves and feel the cool liquid swirl about his fingers.

The instant his hand touched the scene, his fingers collapsed inward as the sturdy canvas refused to give way and the elf was snapped out of his trance. The live scene before his eyes went completely still and looked remote and distant. His peripheral vision came back to him and he could see the bleak hallways about him and he swallowed hard.

He felt utterly lost.

For those few moments, he caught a glimpse of his track to happiness, but now found that it was out of his reach and he could not follow the path.

A sudden ghostly voice echoed in his head. It was a familiar voice, but full of frantic despair.

"_...You have far too much to live through yet!... You... You made a promise to me. You said that no matter how many of your people left for the Undying Lands, you never would. That you would stay here until the end of my days… You said you would not leave until I have!"_

"I know!" Legolas cried out loud to the voice in his head. He had been afflicted by that line since Aragorn had spoken those very words to him weeks ago. His own voice bounced off the rock walls at irregular intervals as the reverberations traveled down the empty halls.

"But how can I stay here if my very heart is tormenting me so? I want to say here _mellon-nin_, I want to say here for you, for me, for my people, for my friends... but I do not know how to!... I just…. do not know how! I am trying every day, but each passing moment is getting harder to get through! I do not want to leave Strider!... But... I do!" Sudden streaks of moisture ran down his cheeks and he rubbed them away with frustrated swipes.

He looked to his hand.

The salty tears stained his fingers and for a brief moment, he could vaguely see the beach before him again. It was not nearly as vivid and clear like the vision he just came from, but he was able to see his hands in the water of the ocean being coated by the bitter water of the sea. He looked back to the picture and longed to be there. His heart so desperately needed to be there.

But he was trapped.

He took a step back, remembering that what he was looking at was not the actual ocean and the sea was not on his fingertips. It was no more than a bolt of fabric smeared with paint. He was startled at how far he had lost himself in that daydream and it further added to his disappointment. He wiped the tears that were stuck to his fingers on his leggings, and with a final glance at the painting, the elf continued in his search for place to go, keeping his eyes riveted to the blank stone floor.

The hall of art twisted and turned, leading the elf in some unknown direction. He turned a corner, and was suddenly aware of a dim sensation that came about him. He could not quite put his finger on it, but the further he walked, he could feel a refreshing buzz beginning to creep through him. He slowed his pace and hesitantly tip-toed through the hall, trying to rule out the soft rustling of his own movements to concentrate on this unusual, but pleasant feeling.

He was very aware of how much alcohol he had consumed that night, and could still feel the lingering effects from it, but this particular buzz was so different than the haze of intoxication. This was very familiar and it felt like he had walked into a different world, one full of peaceful tranquility and positive energy.

Then it hit him like a slap of cold water to the face. He knew exactly what the feeling was and he quickened his pace as he marched onward. The further he traveled down the hall, the stronger the sensation became and his heart began to hammer in his chest while his breathing quickened in anticipation. The hallway rounded a bend and ended abruptly with a set of closed, heavy double doors.

No…. not closed...

Legolas looked at the thick iron and wood panels and found that they were cracked, letting the noise of the outside world drift through. He heard the songs of trees coming from the other side, but it confused him for that should not be heard at this time of the year. The trees should be asleep, yet he could feel his connection to the earth strengthen and a serene calm began to wrap around him like a blanket.

The elf grabbed the iron rings of the door and pulled it further open so he could slip out. The heavy doors swung open without a sound and did so with very little effort.

The doors lead to a private garden, but this was drastically different than the various courtyards that were found throughout the palace and it was polar opposite of the garden his balcony faced. This one was still awake as hibernation evaded the plant life for it was filled with a vast assortment of evergreens. Tall pines and hemlocks grew strong and proud, hollies with their ruby-red berries were planted and cared for with precise trimmings. Helleborus grew in low waves as their serrated leaves gave way to uniquely delicate cold-weather flowers in hues of dark purple and light green. Camellias were growing along the rock walls and were budding with their own late fall flowers, just days away from opening to add another colorful flush to the green space. Their glossy leaves glowed slightly in the starlight, making the foliage appear to be made of delicate glass that swayed lightly with even the slightest stir in the air. Yellow cypress was planted sporadically through the court and their thin ropy-like fronds hung about the supple branches in a shaggy mound of gold. Mixed about were hedges of Nandina with their elongated, semi-evergreen leaves, tinted the color of a dark Merlot wine due to the cold weather.

Somewhere nearby, a steady babbling of water was heard as a spring seeped out of the mountainside that the city was built into and created a small stream. It entered one end of the garden from a tunnel driven through the privacy rock wall. The crystal clear water cut its own path through the landscape only to be let out at another point through a second tunnel. The water disappeared as it continued its way through some unseen path beneath the palace, through the kingdom, and out to the distant planes below.

The elf was frozen in place for a moment as his ears listened to every sound, his eyes took in every sight, and his heart drank every bit of peacefulness the garden offered. Part of him was skeptical of this place for he had just been lost to a false beach not a even few moments ago and this wooded heaven was too gorgeous and too precious to possibly be real.

He took in a deep breath and held it, noting the stench of dried leaves was not present. Here the cool air seemed cleaner and sweet with the refreshing scent of the pines and green leaves. He let the air leave from his lungs slowly. His warm breath frosted in the cold air and he began to shiver as his weakened state could not fight off the chill, but he did not care. It felt remarkably good to be out here and he pushed his way through the swamping cold and out onto the landing of the balcony. Several large white stone steps lead the way to the garden and the elf stepped carefully to the soft earth.

There was an odd familiarity out here and it took him a moment to decode it. All of the stone work was carved intricately with fine arches that resembled the twisted interlocking roots of trees and had little resemblance to the rest of the kingdom he was in. The white stone of the city disappeared behind the thick foliage of the garden and a path to the trees was created out of gray flagstone, adding a natural beauty to this unusual man-made forest. There was a light magic here and it felt like home.

On second thought, to Legolas, it felt like...

Rivendell.

That was the familiarity he noticed. The archways and designs looked as though they were taken from the Elven city and plopped in this garden. The elf felt like he was almost there and he could hear the soft rumble of the Bruinen River as it cascaded down the rock cliffs, but it was nothing more than the soft burble of the creek that passed through.

He wondered why this particular garden was so different from the rest of the courtyards in Gondor, but did not put much thought into it as he began to walk about, looking at every detail to be seen and listened to the song of the trees as they sung familiar melodies. Though he was still uneasy, it felt as though he had been pulled into a comforting hug that touched his soul and the sudden stress of the evening was being driven back as his heart rejoiced over this new found connection he had been deprived of for weeks. This was an oasis of calm and the elf nearly came to tears as he listened to the sounds of nature around him.

He walked soundlessly, almost feline like, as he made his way towards the small stream. The liquid shimmered in the starlight and the rocks that were in the water glistened with the dampness. They looked like they were flecked in mithril as the silvery light above was reflected. A large magnolia tree grew beside the thin bank and under the canopy of large, leathery leaves, he found a grand rock. He made his way over to it, intending to take a seat, but a light female voice startled him and caught him off guard.

"Legolas?"


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

* * *

"Legolas?" A soft voice called out to the prince and caught the blond elf completely off guard.

He turned on his heels and peered into the gloom. There, in an area covered by darkness, he found Tauriel watching him. She was seated on an ornate stone bench in a cove of foliage wrapped up in the cloak he had given to her. The hood was pulled shallowly over her head allowing her face to peak out.

Legolas was stunned for a few moments that he was not alone as he had thought, and watched as she passed her fingers under her eyes quickly, discarding droplets of moisture that were about her cheeks.

"Tauriel...What are you doing here?" He asked while he took hesitant steps toward her. As he approached, Tauriel pushed a smile across her face and greeted him with as much happiness as she could muster to try and hide the fact she was crying.

"I wanted to step away from the festivities for a while, but became lost in the maze of hallways. I ended up here and caught sight of the moon... It is rather beautiful tonight." she said as she tried to cover up the truth as to what happened. Though her comments were easy, her voice was shaded with sorrow.

Legolas followed her gaze and found that the moon was just over top of the stone wall. It was unusually large and a very dark shade a of red.

"'Tis a Fire-Moon." She said and her smile became sad briefly. She let her head fall and she looked over the garden momentarily before she glanced back to Legolas who had turned his sights to the sky, looking at the red orb.

"So it is." He said flatly. Dim memories were coming back to him of a particular night when Tauriel left feasts and festivities behind, preferring to spend the time in the cold, dark dungeons of Mirkwood to talk with a dwarf prisoner. The hours passed while they discussed the moon, and the dwarf was trying so hard to captivate the elf maiden with his attempt to talk of the beauty of the heavens; something dwarves just could not fully understand as an elf might. The short, dark-haired dwarf spoke words that were warm, illustrating a picture for Tauriel with his recall of a unique moon he was witness to.

Legolas overheard much of that conversation when he made his dutiful rounds to check on the prisoners for the evening. Their talk turned his blood cold and he could not seem to tear himself away from the scene. The one he had so much feelings for, the one his heart ached for, had become quite fond of the stout being... too fond. As he watched the two, bitter jealousy found it's way into his heart. He would have given anything to have Tauriel look at him as she looked at the dwarf in that manor and the idea that Tauriel actually fell for the wretched dwarf made him feel sick.

Even the memory made him feel sick.

Tauriel spoke up, bringing the prince back to the moment. "It is beautiful, is it not?" She whispered.

Legolas did not comment.

"What brings you out here?" Tauriel asked. "Should you not be joining the party?" She turned her eyes back to the blond who was watching the moon with a slight scowl.

"I too was seeking a quiet place. I think I have had enough fun for one evening." He said and looked to Tauriel who's forced smile turned to slight confusion.

"But the festivities have only just started."

Legolas simply nodded his head and turned his sights back to the garden as he continued to survey this hidden gem of a place.

"Would you like to join me?" She said after a time and scooted over to make more room on the bench for Legolas. He hesitated for the last thing he wanted to do was be around someone else and start conversing, but he found that after a few moments, he did walk forward and sat beside Tauriel. He looked to her and she flashed him another careful smile.

"It was quite a surprise the other day to find you here." Tauriel said. "I have scarcely seen you since our first meeting and I was beginning to wonder if you were only a mirage created out of hopeful imagination."

"I have been…. busy. I apologize; I did not mean to disappear on you like that, but I have matters of my own that… always kept me preoccupied." Legolas stated with a weary sigh as he tried to brush the situation off and bring it to a close quickly.

Tauriel nodded in understanding. She could only imagine that Legolas lead a busy life since dealing with a new realm. He had always been busy as a prince, but now as the sole leader of the elves… it was expected for him to be busy.

"I thought all the elves had left for Valinor." Tauriel continued. "When I came here and King Elessar told me that some elves were still in Ithilien, I never imagined that you would be among them."

Legolas returned a blank smile to her, acknowledging he heard her but had no real emotion attached to the comment. "Yes, that is where I reside now."

Tauriel turned her face back to the sky, but narrowed her eyes as she thought about this. "Why Ithilien? Why are you not in Mirkwood?"

"The war several years ago destroyed the southern forests and I have been working there to restore it." He offered calmly.

"But Mirkwood was destroyed by the war as well."

Legolas thought for a moment before he gave a reply. "Yes; Mirkwood fared no better but..." Legolas shrugged his shoulders. "I wanted to be out here... _Adar _wished me to follow in his footsteps and take the throne after the war was won and the evil was defeated in Dol Guldur. He was ready to sail, and I wanted to stay. However, I could not do it... I saw what Mirkwood did to him, how it changed him. I did not want to end up like that. I know most of his stress came from the evil that was spreading across the once fair woods and he was doing everything he could to keep it at bay, but the stress cost him who he was... I know the evil has been defeated in Dol Guldur and the shadow over Mirkwood has been lifted, but... I have always had a conflicting matter of hopes and fears for they are the same… I can only hope I am as good a leader as my father was, yet I fear to turn cold and heartless like him. If I ruled over Mirkwood, I have a feeling I would have ended up like that in the end…. somehow."

Tauriel nodded. She understood that thought, but it only raised another question. "Why did you choose Ithilien? It is a long way from Mirkwood to just decide that is where you wanted to go."

"I witnessed the devastation the war caused and... I guess I felt a calling to reside there once the war was won-"

"You mean the war in Mirkwood or Gondor?"

"Gondor."

"You fought in Gondor?"

"I fought all over, but yes, in the end, I fought with Gondor."

"I did not know Mirkwood had any ties to this city."

"Mirkwood did not fight here. I did."

Tauriel was not quite following and it could be seen in her expression. Legolas shifted on the bench and began filling her in.

"The One Ring of Power was found and taken to Rivendell. _Adar _sent me to deliver some news to Lord Elrond of an escaped prisoner from our dungeons. While there, a council was held and I ended up joining the efforts to destroy The Ring and-"

"*_You_* are one of the Nine!" Tauriel jumped in with a gasp of amazed shock.

Legolas just smiled slightly again and nodded as Tauriel continued.

"Tales of the Nine Heroes are quickly turning to legends! The story said that four hobbits, two men, a wizard, dwarf and elf made The Fellowship, but many names of the individuals are unclear... I know the ring bearer was Frodo..." She looked to Legolas who nodded once again. "And the wizard, I assumed, was Gandalf."

"Correct."

"One of the men was the lost king of Gondor and once the war was won, Elessar came to power... but those are all I know of. Rumor had it that the elf in the company was Glorfindel, the Balrog Slayer."

Legolas tipped his chin and smiled to her, though this time there was a glint of amusement in his expression. "Nay, it was me."

"Then the town had the story a bit misconstrued then..." she said more so to herself but Legolas heard the comment nonetheless.

"It was I who joined. We departed from Rivendell and traveled south on our quest for many months…" Legolas began to explain, but he suddenly went quiet as the prince sorted through the tangled memories from so many years ago.

"We lost one of our companions in an orc skirmish…" Legolas continued quietly and bowed his head a little in respect to his fallen friend. It was difficult to retell this story as he had never really spoke of it before, but once the wars of Middle Earth were over, he and Aragorn had an honest discussion with Faramir to answer the confusing questions on his brother's death. Other than that, Legolas let the memory of Boromir live as one of high respect, rather than a man with the best intentions that went astray. Besides, it was not entirely Boromir's fault that he tried to sabotage the mission for personal gain. The ring was deadly entity and it was at fault for snagging Boromir's control.

"I am sorry." Tauriel said compassionately to fill in the silence. Obviously it was hard for her friend to speak of the dark memory and she could only speculate how orcs had taken the life of a mortal that was evidently close to the prince. She had lived through that nightmare on her own and knew how difficult it could be.

Legolas was a bit surprised that he had wondered off in thought and Tauriel's sincere sympathy pulled him back. He did not know how to take her comfort on the matter knowing that the man's death was not as clean cut and heroic as many others thought. Yes, Boromir died protecting two innocent hobbits who had very little means of defending themselves, but had the man never strayed away from the group to take the ring away from Frodo in the first place, they could have remained one fighting unit, rather than a scattered bunch trying to reassemble. In a sense, the outcome of the fight was partially Boromir's fault and it was a miracle that others were not killed.

The prince contemplated filling Tauriel in on the details that took place along the banks of the Anduin River that fateful day, but she had no clue who Boromir was, nor did Legolas really want to bring up any mention of the ill events that took place with the troubled Gondorian man. Boromir was now at peace and should only be remember for the good that he did, not how easily he was corrupted.

Though he appreciated Tauriel's sympathy, Legolas did not acknowledge it. The prince took a deep breath to push onward, changing his tone drastically so he could cover all his emotions with an easy factual front.

"The Fellowship fractured instantly and we split up. Aragorn, Gimli and myself pursued two from our company who had become captives to the band of orcs. Our friends were freed by other means and chose their own paths while the three of us traveled to Rohan where we fought against evil forces at the Hornburg fortress of Helms Deep. That was the first of many battles and we later traveled here to fight in the fields just below this city. Once that was won, Gondor went to the Black Gates of Mordor and I fought there as well. When the war was over, and the ring destroyed, I stayed to see Aragorn take the throne-"

"Aragorn?"

"-King Elessar... He changed his name to 'Elessar' when being referred to as a king, but his close friends call him Aragorn, or Estel... and I still call him Strider, which is the name I came to know him by many, many years ago."

"You are close with him then?"

Legolas looked back out over the garden and a fond smile graced his lips. This was unlike the other ones that he had been wearing. This one was genuine, warm and kind as memories of his past with the ranger came to mind.

"Yes, he is like a brother to me... He is part of my decision to stay *_here_*... Since I did not want to take over in Mirkwood, he and the Steward of Gondor, Faramir, granted me the forests of Ithilien. Originally, It was just myself and few others from Mirkwood who stayed there and our focus was to rebuild the wilds that used to be legendary. But over the years it started to become a haven for elves who do not wish to leave Middle Earth yet as Lothlorien, Mirkwood and Rivendell are all becoming empty."

"How many elves are there?"

"It is a rough count, but I would guess…. about three hundred elves are there…. Maybe a little more."

Tauriel just smiled. It was a small Elven city by comparison of the major Elven realms, but the number was not shabby.

"So you are a king then..." Though it was part question, it was closer to an observation that did not ask for clarification. Legolas scrunched his brows together as he shook his head.

"Nay. Not a king. I am a lord, though some people still call me by my former title of Prince."

"You are a remaining elf of a royal bloodline _mellon, _and you hold rule over a realm... you can put a hat on a horse, but it is still a horse... I remember all of those long discussions we had, speculating over the possibilities of you becoming king. I always knew you would make for a good a leader." She gave a good natured smile, full of pleased warmth. "And now that you are king, you seem to be doing well." Tauriel looked to the prince with a calculating look to see how her words were taken.

"Lord." Legolas corrected. "I am a lord." He looked to her and smiled though his raised brows displayed a chided warning, ordering her not to call him a king again. That was never a role he thought he would see himself in and the title made him a little uneasy. He was always prepared to take the throne should something ill befall his father, but being handed the title was not something he really wanted. At least in Ithilien, he could be a bit more lax in ruling since he did not want to be named a proper king, but he supposed Tauriel was right with her comment, though he refused to admit it.

"How do you like it down here?" Tauriel asked.

Legolas thought for a moment. It wasn't that he did not know how he felt, for he loved the forests he claimed to be home, yet it was not quite home.

"Well, the woods are beautiful and are completely different than that of Mirkwood, Rivendell and Lothlorien… But there are some similarities. This place is new and exciting, yet for that reason, it is hard to get comfortable. I knew Mirkwood down to the last tree. Here, that comfortable knowledge is not as strong as back in Mirkwood. It is becoming that way to me, but it is not quite there yet."

"How do the others feel? Do they like it?" she asked to keep the conversation up. She did not know why she really asked that particular question but the longing in her heart to be in a homley place suddenly surged deep within. She did not want to get too attached to the idea that Ithilien could be her new home for there was a lot of unknown factors to her fate but she could not resist the urge to know a little more about the place she had been recently placing her hopes into.

"My best guess would be yes. Everyone seems to be content and lives are being restarted there..."

"It sounds wonderful… I would like to see it one day." Tauriel said as she looked back to the sky to hide the sudden flood of tears in her eyes that appeared out of nowhere.

"Tauriel… My offer still stands. If you want to come home, you do not need to continue to wish it."

Tauriel wanted so badly to accept the offer, but she hesitated. Again, she knew there was a lot that needed to be discussed and she was trying to work up the courage to bring up the topic. She lost herself in thought and the garden went quiet.

Legolas' proposition were the last words spoken for some time. The blond archer altered his stance and leaned over, placing his forearms on his knees while he continued to look over the garden.

When the conversation halted and it was evident that it would not pick up any time soon, Tauriel began to hum a light tune while her sights went back to the sky. Each elf let their mind wander for a time before Legolas broke the silence.

"Where have you been?" He asked quietly and Tauriel abruptly stopped her hushed tune and turned her eyes to her old friend with a question.

"Pardon?"

"All of these years, where have you been? You vanished without a trace and I thought you were gone…" he clarified, but did not look at her.

Tauriel straightened up a little. "I was nowhere in particular, I just went where I could, calling any friendly place home until I either felt the need to leave or was forced to leave." She crossed a leg over her knee and held it with interlocked fingers while she leaned back slightly.

Legolas looked over his shoulder to watch her. The last bit of the statement made him uneasy and Tauriel let out a soft sigh before she dove into explanation.

"I have been to many cultures and regions in the north trying to make a new home for myself since I was banished. I was forbidden to enter any Elven lands so I had to live among mortals or on my own. While I have lived among some great people, I have also faced the prejudices of being an elf.

"Being different... instills a lot of fear in those who do not understand and despite my attempts to help a community, or contribute as an able bodied citizen, I have been pushed away more often than not for simply being an elf. The notion of being a banished Elda, who is not welcomed or wanted by her own race, has haunted me."

Legolas could hear Tauriel's struggles over the years and he looked away from her. He felt terrible over her sentence and wished there was a way to go back in time and do something - anything - differently.

Tauriel let out a heavy sigh before she continued. "The last twenty years or so I have been living in Dale... And of all the coincidences - do you recall when we hunted the orcs after the dwarves escaped? And we made it to Laketown and fought the beasts in that small home?"

"I do."

"Those children that were in that house were King Bard's children. His son, Bain, is now reigning king and he remembered me. He was kind enough to allow me to reside there in secret and keep my presence hidden from outsiders. Until recently, I have made a good home for myself there, but... once the neighboring elves of Mirkwood left, people began to change. The elders who remembered the times of the elves are starting to diminish.

"Some told me that Gondor was a place where I could continue to dwell with elven acceptance, for the reasons given to me were that the king was once well respected among elves. I set out here in hopes of finding this to be true, but part of me was terrified that the people who had told me this, only did so in order to get me to leave."

The story Tauriel told only added more grief to Legolas' already tormented heart. He offered a slight bit of comfort, though it was already too late for that.

"I have been looking for you, Tauriel." He said quietly and would not meet her gaze. "It killed me when my father would not allow anyone to find you. I did not always follow his ruling and in secret, if I could steal away without my presence being missed, I would try to uncover any bit of information as to your where beings. Anytime I went on patrols with the guard and we went to the edges of Mirkwood, I hoped and prayed I would find you well. And when I was out in the wilds with Strider - eerr, Elessar-" he corrected so Tauriel would not get lost "I kept myself alert and attentive to see if I could find any trace that you were around."

"Why?"

"We all felt that you did not deserve your sentence. Everyone in the guard, in my patrols and through the halls of the palace… everyone agreed; My father was too harsh-"

"No… why did *_you_* look for me?"

The question startled Legolas and he gulped silently. He needed an answer to tell her, but nothing came to mind other than the blatant truth.

"Do you really not know?" He asked softly but kept his sights riveted on the garden so Tauriel would not see the pain reflected behind his eyes.

"Still?" The single word and disbelieving tone stated that Tauriel understood why Legolas searched for her.

He loved her.

Tauriel was taken aback and her heart began to race, though this did not feel uneasy as it had with Elrohir. Sure, the situation was awkward, but she had a connection to Legolas and had known him for centuries.

"After I strung you along and used you so I could save someone else?" she mildly protested.

"Tauriel, you did not know of my true feelings until you had already fallen for the dwarf."

"His name was Kili." Her tone was cool, but corrected Legolas lightly.

The prince pursed his lips in disdain. He didn't care what the dwarf's name was.

"That was a long time ago. My heart… has learned to let go, though I do still care about you. That will never change. I would rather have you in my life and happy with someone your heart desires rather than not in my life at all… I missed you, Tauriel. We spent so much time together and then suddenly you were not there anymore…. And the circumstances that lead to your disappearance cut me deeply. I do not hold your actions against you, for I never told you how I felt until it was too late and you had already developed a love for… Kili." The prince forced himself to call the dwarf by his true name for Tauriel's sake. After he composed himself from that two-syllable name, Legolas continued.

"I… I was nervous and thought you would reject me. My own hesitancy is to blame. You allowed your heart to find someone and... it was not me. Had I come to you sooner, perhaps things could have worked out differently. If you knew earlier, this could have all been avoided, but you did not know, and you cannot claim responsibility for things you did not have knowledge of."

Tauriel hung her head. She could not believe that Legolas had arrived at this conclusion and he had come to terms with what had transpired. She was stunned that he was actually forgiving her. She wanted so badly to leave it at that and allow the prince to walk in ignorance, but Legolas deserved the truth and he needed to hear it from her. With a deep breath to steady herself, she revealed everything to him.

"But... " Tauriel's voice would not work. She had been holding this in for so long and had practiced all the ways she would talk about this with Legolas, if she ever saw him again. This moment had finally come and her mouth went dry and she trembled with nervousness.

"I did know, Legolas." she whispered. The prince picked his head up.

"What?" He was dazed at the realization and it did not quite sink in, but he was sure he had heard the words she uttered.

"I did know all along how you felt. Your father told me. He said you were growing fond of me, but... he would not have allowed it to go anywhere."

Legolas could not speak for a time and the words replayed in his head, over and over, until the full meaning set in.

"I told you before that my father may command me, but not my heart….."

"…. I am not so sure you had as much control over your heart as you thought." Tauriel countered softly. "Thranduil told me himself he would not allow it."

"What do you mean?" His blood was starting to rush at hearing this. His father would not deny him love of his own choosing... would he?

"A lowly Silvan elf has no business with a royal Sindar, Legolas." **(see bottom note)

"They have all the business in the world for it is their choosing, not anyone else's." He was trying with his best efforts to keep himself calm, but his voice was steadily growing bitter as he commented. "Besides, I believe they would have more business together than an elf and a dwarf-"

"Legolas…" Tauriel halted his rant. It would not help anything at this point, for the past was the past and she would not stand to hear her beloved dwarf be degraded out of jealousy.

Legolas cringed.

"I am sorry." The prince mumbled. He had not meant to say that out loud, but his anger was getting the best of him.

"There was a brief moment of joy when your father told me that you were growing fond of me…. It would be a lie if I said I had not been contemplating the matter on my own for quite some time even before it was brought to my attention, for I too, cared for you deeply… very deeply, but you were a prince - and still you are…. or rather, a king." Legolas rolled his eyes and Tauriel smiled slightly before she continued.

"Besides, I was Captain of the Guard and I did not know how that would look upon my reputation… A female captain in love with her leader… I did not know if I would be labeled as *_that_* kind of person; one who seduces higher authority to remain in good standings with a king and prince just to keep herself in a powerful rank...

"But your father did tell me how you felt and I…" Tauriel cocked her head as she thought of just the right words to say. "I felt a spark of hope. I do not know that I…. was *_in love_* with you, Legolas, but I was pleased with the thought that there was opportunity to explore that possibility with you... That is, until your father put an end to it.

"I was hurt and disappointed, but it was your father's orders that kept me back…." Tauriel looked up to the sky to study the moon again as if seeking encouragement. "...And then Kili came into my life and the path I had been walking was forever changed and lead me down another road - one that I did not know existed. I was not forbidden from him, even if he was a prisoner."

"Or a dwarf." Legolas just could not let that go.

"Yes…" Tauriel agreed tersely. "-or a dwarf." she added sternly and repeated the words back to Legolas indicating that it should not matter if he was a dwarf.

"Did you really love him?" Legolas took his heart's dare and asked, but dread the answer.

Tears formed in Tauriel's eyes as she looked to Legolas, her gaze giving even more reason to believe her words. "I did. And part of me still does, and always will."

Legolas nodded casually, understanding everything that was thrown at him, but the gesture lacked any real motivation to be more than a silent nod.

"I owe you more apology than I can ever give, Legolas." Tauriel said, preparing her for more confession. "When the dwarves escaped, I left Mirkwood to hunt the orcs…. but they were not the only thing I was chasing. I knew I could not act so foolish and go alone. I needed help… I was outnumbered and ill prepared.

"I knew you would come after me; Once I learned how you felt, I knew you would follow me and aid me in tracking the orcs. I…" Tauriel paused. She could not get the words out and she shook her head as the difficulty of speaking battled her. She took another deep breath, trying to push her anxieties aside.

"I used you Legolas..." Tauriel whispered and hung her head once more. "I used your feelings to my advantage so I could pursue Kili and make sure he was alright. I did not have the heart to tell you otherwise, so I used the orcs as a front. What I told you the banks of the river that day was very much so true; I did not want the evil to spread across our lands anymore and I wanted to slay the darkness that had been allowed to leave unharmed from our woods. But, the other part of me only wanted to protect Kili, and the rest of his company.

"You stepped in and joined me without much thought as to the repercussions of your actions, for you were not only going against your king's orders, but your father's as well. I know your relationship with him was not a strong one at the time, but I did not think about you in the slightest while you placed my concerns ahead of your own… You risked exile… for me...

"Then, when we got to Laketown… there, I abandoned you. You left to track the orcs and called upon me to go with you and help, but instead, I stayed behind to nurse Kili back to health. I never doubted your fighting abilities, but I should not have let you go on your own. I am still thankful nothing happened to you, for if you were wounded, or captured, or even killed, I could have never forgiven myself. I know I should have left with you and tracked the orcs as I had lead you to believe we were doing, …..but I could not leave Kili to be claimed by death that I knew how to prevent."

The whole time Tauriel spoke, Legolas did not move a muscle. He stayed in his position, stooped over and his eyes would not leave the garden. Apprehension was growing in Tauriel. This strange calm that claimed the prince seemed to be harder to bear than his wrath, and her heart began to pound in anxiety over the prince's nonexistent reactions. She wished there was some sort of comfort she could offer the prince.

"All I can say, Legolas, is I am sorry. Words cannot aid me in giving you enough demonstration as to how sorry I am, but I know of no other way to say it. I would ask you for your forgiveness, but I know I do not deserve it and I have no right to ask anything of you since you had already given me so much and placed everything on the line for me…. But know, it was not for foolish feelings... I did love him, Legolas.

"Though I would probably be listed as a traitor and my name forever cursed, if I had a chance to do it all over again and make things better, I do not believe I could do anything differently. I could not leave him there to die… I… I would not drag you into it, even if it sealed my own doom, but my fate with Kili could never be changed."

Again, silence took over the garden and neither elf spoke for a while. Legolas was still stooped over, looking at the garden, and Tauriel's tearful sights were locked on the prince. The breeze swept through the garden and Legolas shivered. Tauriel did not miss that, and in an instant, her worry over her confessions deepened as the effects of it were clearly impacting the prince. Elves should never shiver.

"Legolas?" Tauriel reached out and placed a cautious hand on the prince's shoulder. She wanted so badly to get him to say something, anything, even if it was angry and nasty words, for that was to be expected and would be normal. But through her Elven touch, she could feel a dark, seething, shock of pain and mountains of anguish rolling off of the prince's presence. The severity of it stole her breath away.

The instant she touched him, Legolas jerked back. He was not expecting the contact and he did not want her picking up on his pain. Tauriel recoiled from the touch but she caught a glimpse of Legolas' eyes and the intense agony she felt was seen in the dark blue eyes. Legolas looked away quickly and his heart began to pound once again, fearing that Tauriel had seen or felt something she should not have. Legolas sat upright and crossed his arms over his chest, trying to huddle closer to himself to help ward off the cold without trying to appear to do so.

"Legolas!..." Tauriel's voice held alarm. No Elda should have to be in that much pain and it was a wonder to her how the sheer force of the depression was not killing him. He looked to be ok, but what was going on in the inside was a different picture. As Tauriel deciphered the feeling, it was not purely love stricken heartache that she had been exposed to. There was a lot of pain - physical pain - and dark horror that clutched itself to the prince's heart and soul. She could not fathom it in the slightest.

Legolas looked back to the moon to try and give him a calming distraction. The red glow it had not long ago was beginning to drain away while the lunar circle traveled higher in the sky and lost the red tint. The moon was on its way back to the usual silver color, but was currently tinted gold as the residual red coloring kept fading. In a few hours, the moon would be back to its normal mithril sparkle, but right now it looked anything but normal.

What he had just heard from Tauriel hurt him, but there was already so much hurt in his heart, he could not even bring himself to grieve over the confessions Tauriel had just bore him. Instead of anger and heartache, he felt surprisingly…. numb. His emotions were already on overload and the added stress was just stacked up against the mountain to be untangled later. He was upset however for not keeping his guard about him. Now Tauriel might have knowledge of his past and that, out of everything else, terrified him.

"Oh Valar, what have I done?!" She breathed as she gawked at the blond sitting next to her.

Legolas lowered his eyes and gave her a level stare.

"What?" His question was flat. He did not know how far she had been able to read into him.

"Are you alright? Have you been carrying this around with you all these years?" She knew heartache in an elf could have major consequences, for she had suffered through it herself, but over time, she had accepted it and did her best to move on. The memory of Kili would always be bitter sweet, but she could look back and find some joy in their short lived romance and she focused on that more than anything. If Legolas had been hurting this much since their departure, she was stunned that he was still alive after all of these years.

Legolas realized that Tauriel thought his pain was from her rejection and only had access to his feelings, rather than saw what had happened. He almost let out a heavy sigh in relief but gave Tauriel a worn down smile instead as he began to rebuild his front.

"This..." Legolas touched his chest, and rubbed it lightly "Is not your doing. It comes from more recent events." He said quietly.

"What happened?" She was stunned and could not even begin to imagine what had happened to the prince to cause this much sorrow.

"Nothing you, nor anyone else should concern themselves with." He said delicately as he did his usual and tiptoed around the subject.

Tauriel was not convinced but did not press him for information for she did not know how to, or if she should. She became somewhat distracted when Legolas changed the subject and put her on the spot.

"So... you and Elrohir left early." He stated but he did not look at her. He hoped this would draw the focus off of him and his private matters would be left alone.

"Oh…. yes…" Tauriel stumbled intelligently. "He just wanted to show me the city at night. This is a very beautiful place. We were not out there for long, and then I came back in and got lost." She chuckled nervously while she told half of the truth.

"You and he seem to be getting along well..."

"How so?" Her tone was bordering disbelief and was a little hesitant to say more on the matter. She did not want it to be known that someone had fallen for her and she rejected those feelings… again. Nor did she want to appear to be leading him along for all to see.

Legolas just shrugged. "You are spending a lot of time together."

"And two people cannot spend time together?"

"I did not say you could not spend time with him-"

"So now you are giving me permission?" Her comment was tense.

Legolas shot her a stern look. "You are twisting my words. That is not at all what I am saying. You may spend time with whom you wish, when you wish. I was merely making a comment. As I recall we *_were*_ holding a conversation but I do not know when that stopped. So, please, pardon my words…" Legolas stood to leave. It would serve no one to get flustered over this. What was transpiring between Elrohir and Tauriel was not his business and he did not wish to interject and ruin anything for either of them, nor did he want his temper to flare and become worse than it was already was.

"Legolas… I… I am sorry. Please do not go. I fear it has been a long evening and it has put me on edge."

Legolas looked to her but did not take a seat. With a weary sigh, Tauriel picked up where the conversation that halted.

"Elrohir is… sweet…. but a little awkward….. and very persistent." She admitted while she turned her head slightly away from the prince and rolled her eyes in private punctuation.

"Well, he seems to have taken a liking to you." The prince murmured.

"I know..." Tauriel's remark was a little disappointed. "I figured this out on my own, though there was not much to speculate over. It was very clear what his intentions were…. A beautiful private setting, just the two of us…. I know I am young, but I am not naïve."

"Well, if you can look past his pranks, he is a very respectable elf, and very kind-"

"I do not doubt that he is but, he was seeking something he could not have." Legolas glanced at Tauriel. It was not a lost on the prince on what Tauriel was talking about. "I have no heart to give. And rather than lead him along, as I have done to you, I put an end to it."

Again, Legolas went unmoving at hearing this. His heart found an odd peace in hearing that Tauriel did not want to be with Elrohir, but his disappointment depend all the same. Somehow he had hoped that the two would connect, offering Tauriel support he knew he could not give her, and a chance to reconnect with elves amidst more stable company. If he was leaving for Ithilien in a few days, he did not know what to do with Tauriel. The silence again took over the garden as the statement trailed off and Legolas went to his own thoughts as did Tauriel. It was not long before she began to talk again.

"So… I have been wanting to talk with you about another matter." Tauriel said as she looked up to the prince who remained standing. She patted the bench indicating that she wanted him to take a seat once more which Legolas did without a word. "You left a few things in my rooms the other day."

"I did not know what your plans were and wanted to make sure you had some supplies if you chose to leave." Legolas said factually.

"Legolas, some of those *_supplies_* are far more valuable than just spare items you could part with and I cannot accept them."

"Why not?"

"You cannot give them to me!"

"Everything was mine, so I can give it away should I choose to. I do not need *_your_* permission." He threw the statement back at Tauriel who stiffened at the comment and barbed tone.

Tauriel huffed at his statement and with jerky movements, she reached up to her neck and removed the mithril pin that held the cloak fastened about her.

"This pin, for one thing, is not something that you should choose to give away." She pressed the silver circle into Legolas' palm who tried to refuse it, but Tauriel dropped it in his hand, forcing him to take it. "This is yours Legolas. It is an heirloom to the Mirkwood throne and I have no business even wearing it!"

"And I did not take the Mirkwood throne! You have as much right to wear it as I do." He tossed the pin back to Tauriel who had no other option than to catch it. "It is of no use to me and to tell you the truth, I have not worn it for so long I forgot I even had the thing. It was laying in the bottom of a drawer, completely forgotten about. I would rather it serve a purpose and be gratefully used rather than becoming stagnant junk."

"And what about the knives, Legolas? Surely those are not 'stagnant-junk'." She punctuated with sarcasm.

"You needed weapons-"

"And I can get some, but they do not have to be yours! You have never parted with those blades since you received them. They were *_always_* with you!" Tauriel pleaded with Legolas to see her point of view. "Did you take them to war a few years ago?"

"I did."

"And did you use them?" Tauriel asked and Legolas just furrowed his brow as if that was a ridiculous question. Of course he used them. "They were faithful blades that protected you in numerous battles and wars, one of them more legendary than perhaps all other battles ever fought, and now you are going to give them up? Like they are some…. worthless costume pin you grew tired of?"

Tauriel was openly glaring at him now but Legolas looked off into the garden once more. Her words did not seem to phase him which only fueled her anger. She reasoned with the blond elf sitting beside her.

"I will take the pin if you wish it. I'll even take the arrows… and I rather fancy the cloak…." she gave a small smile as she looked to the ornate hem on the crushed velvet material. "*_but_* I will not… *_will not_* take your knives. Those have been precious to you since your father gave them to you and I will not take something that is a very part of who you are."

"I did not mean to make you so uncomfortable with my actions." Legolas said quietly. "I honestly did not put that much thought into it as I only wanted you to be safe and feared you would leave without proper weapons."

"And I will be safe." She said with a warm sternness to agree to the fact that she would be fine. "Besides, is Ithilien not a safe place to be? Are your people not protected, or do you allow your them to dwell in danger infested woods?"

It took a moment for the meaning of the words to sink in, and when they did, Legolas turned to Tauriel who was nervously watching him.

"What do you mean?... Are you…?"

"If your offer truly is still open...then, yes. I would like to go to Ithilien. But only if you think it wise and you are sure this will not bring any ill fates to anyone."

Legolas could only nod his head blankly but on the inside, he was beginning to panic over this. He knew he could not offer her much support and the last thing he wanted to do was abandon her and have her fend for herself. It was a risk to allow her back into elven lands, for some may not take to her presence. Elves were very steadfast with the strictness in which banishment was carried out and though he was a leader, he was openly breaking the laws and customs of his people that were set in place by his very father.

"I mean it Legolas… yourself included. I could not ask you to give up any more than you already have for me."

"You will be allowed to return and no one will be punished for allowing you to join us. I will make sure of that. But, I just want you to understand that I might… be busy." He had difficulty talking about this and he was beginning to tread in dangerous waters. He did not want to go into details, but he needed Tauriel to understand. "I want you to come home, but I do not know if I can give you much support in transitioning back into the community-"

"I fully expect you to be busy. Despite what you say, you are a king and you have the workload of one. Your duties will always come first. But let me remind you that I have fended for myself among races that were not my own. I think I can manage." She smiled.

Legolas stiffly nodded his head. He hoped things would be smooth and he could remain strong, not only for Tauriel, but himself as well.

The conversation followed the same pattern that had been set in place and once again, neither elf spoke and let the gentle, and soothing sounds of the garden take over. Tauriel went back to watching the moon while Legolas could not tear his eyes away from the lively trees.

"Tell me of Ithilien, Legolas… what is it like?" Tauriel's voice was almost a whisper, but she did not look to Legolas as she requested him to speak.

With a deep sigh to push his anxieties away, Legolas dove into easier conversations and began to describe every aspect there was about what Tauriel could expect in her future new homeland.

* * *

_**** NOTE: We do not fully know of Legolas' heritage. I think I recall Thranduil is a Sindar Elf, therefore Legolas would be at least ½ Sindar. But from his mother's side… it is as good of a guess as any. In the Hobbit movies, Tauriel tells Thranduil "I do not believe you would allow your son to pledge himself to a lowly Silvan Elf.". Perhaps this means Legolas is not Silvan… or even part Silvan. So the sake of this story, I rolled with Peter Jackson's hint and I assume that Legolas is full Sindar and based that off of clues from the movie. But all in all, I do not think it really matters, does it?**_


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

* * *

Elladan walked through the halls to get to the front of the palace in order to find his brother. He had left Elrohir and Tauriel alone that evening as his twin had wanted so the two could connect, but it wasn't long until he knew the moment did not go as hoped.

While the three were traveling to the tower, he had side stepped quietly down another hall as he broke away from the two and made for his own rooms. Words did not need to be exchanged between the brothers and Elladan knew that he was not exactly welcome to follow his sibling. Instead of making a scene and announcing his departure, he stepped away unnoticed and hurried to his room where he changed out of the thick boots he was wearing into a lighter shoes so he could partake in the dancing that was being held in the Great Hall. Upon his return to the festivities, Tauriel rushed passed him when the hall he was walking down and the one she was using conjoined at an intersection. She was in such a rush, she did not even see him and continued on her straight path while Elladan remained hidden in the darkened hall to the side.

Though he did not know the details, he knew instantly that Elrohir's magical moment had not gone over well. His first instinct was to go find his brother and console him, but he had second thoughts on his course of action. This was going to be a hard blow for his brother so instead of swamping him with a million questions and smothering him with advice and condolences, he left Elrohir alone for a while so he could sort his own thoughts and frustrations out for a time.

It was well into the wee hours of morning when the party had ended. Elladan stayed behind to make sure all of the guests were escorted out of the ball room. He did a quick scan of the hall, noting that only Arwen and her staff were present and efforts to clean the hall were beginning. With nothing more he could do to help with the dwindling festivities, he turned to leave so he could track down his brother.

As he exited the Hall of Fire, he reached out to a nearby table of food that provided snacks for all to enjoy and plucked an apple from a silver tray. As he made his way through the halls to search for his brother, he tossed the red fruit in the air and caught it in mild entertainment. He brushed by the large windows that overlooked the court and his so called 'tracking' was put to rest as his eyes landed on his brother sitting at the end of the tower. Quickly, Elladan made for the doors of the court and pushed them open with his shoulder and back as he continued to toss the apple.

Elladan came to the reflecting pool for the white tree and casually made his way around the circular path, nodding in greeting to each of the four guards who remained motionless at their posts. He ceased his mindless activity of catching the apple and he began to polish the red fruit throughout the duration of his walk. Using his warm breath to supply some moisture, he buffed the fruit vigorously on the sleeve of his shirt until the apple had a polished shine.

He stopped just behind his brother and paused for a moment. The only movement found in the younger twin was the way his hair swayed when the wind played with it. He was sitting on the ground with his legs dangling over the ledge and he kept his sights to a very distant point. Whether Elrohir was looking at something or just staring off, Elladan could only guess.

Elladan took a bite of the apple, purposely making his teeth crunch into the firm fruit to voice his arrival without speaking. After chewing his mouthful of food, he began to mimic the stance of his sitting brother. Elladan placed the apple between his teeth and partially bit into the delectable produce in order to hold it and free up his hands. He settled down next to his brother, kicking his legs out to dangle over the edge and he began to swing them lightly and mindlessly. The eldest twin brought his hand up to his mouth and relieve it of its burden while taking a large crunching bite from the apple. He too looked over the land and watched the rolling mass of the dark hills that primarily composed their sights and he continued to consume his snack.

Neither brother spoke for a time and the only noise that was heard was the sound of the crisp fruit being torn into. Bite after bite was eaten and Elladan delicately held the bottom and top of the fruit pinched between two fingers of one hand while he picked at the sweet meat.

Elrohir glanced at his brother trying to see what brought him out here. He did not want to talk right now and knew that is exactly what his brother intended on doing.

Elladan held the apple out to his brother to offer him a bite of the fruit which was dismissed as Elrohir looked back out the plains with a slight sigh.

Elladan shrugged his shoulder to himself. If his brother did not want any of the apple, it was his loss and Elladan would gladly eat it. Once the apple was picked to the core, Elladan threw the apple heart over the edge and watched it tumble in the air until it vanished into the shadows below. He turned his sights to Elrohir who was still transfixed on the landscape before them.

Elladan took in a deep breath and pondered over the words he would speak to break the silence.

"Love is a-"

"I don't want to talk about it." Elrohir interrupted with a mild sternness and quiet words.

Elladan snorted. "That sounds familiar."

Elrohir looked to his brother once again, not following what he meant. He knew his brother would explain his odd comment so he did not wait for his brother to respond when he looked back over the dark plains of Gondor. Just as Elrohir thought, Elladan spoke again.

"You sound like Legolas."

"That is not funny." Elrohir defended their friend with a flat tone.

"I did not say it was. I have heard that line come from his mouth more than a handful of times recently. And now to hear you utter his seemingly coined phrase…." Elladan let the statement trail off as he gave a sigh as well. "What happened?"

"I do not want to talk about it." Elrohir stated again, this time adding a bite to his words.

"I do." Elladan grinned as Elrohir grumbled.

"Of course you do…" Elrohir mumbled. "You certainly cannot pass up the opportunity to tease me over this and use this to your advantage for weeks to come."

"What?! Do not be ridiculous! I merely came out here to talk to you and see if you were alright…. _Elbereth_..." Elladan huffed in annoyed defense. "Tauriel probably could not stand your sour mood..."

Elrohir pursed his lips in irritation. So his brother knew that things did not go over well…. Great.

"Listen… I am sorry. I wished things would have worked out between the two of you. I know I have given you a hard time these past few days, but…. that is what brothers do, is it not? I seem to recall many times where you have dogged me over my feelings for another, but you always did it with good humor and never held any ill intent."

Elrohir sighed again before he turned to his twin and tried to smile, but his lips only quirked into a twitch that looked more like a pout than a smile.

"What happened?" Elladan asked again

"Oh I do not know… one moment, everything was just right. The sight was clear, we were alone, she seemed happy. The moon was at its most beautiful and then the next thing I knew she was crying and running off."

"Perhaps she just needs time. I think you fell for her rather quick, and there has been a lot going on. She traveled a great distance only to find that her former prince and friend is here after being parted from her own for decades. She is surrounded by strangers in a foreign land… I would not blame her for being shy… Just give her some time. She may warm up to you later."

"Nay… she said her heart belongs to another." Elrohir stated almost sadly. He dropped his sights to his hand and rubbed his palm with the thumb of his other hand absently.

Elladan leaned back slightly after hearing this. "Oh 'Ro…" Elladan closed his eyes temporarily and shook his head with disappointment. He did not know what to say. "I am so sorry to hear that."

"Me too. She said he passed, and yet, her heart still belongs to him."

"Oh..." Elladan's response was short. This situation was becoming a bit complex.

"Never in my life has my heart desired someone more than it did Tauriel..." He sighed then pressed his lips together. "Or, I should say 'other than _Nana'_...I wish she were here right now. I could use her kind words and advice."

"Oh El." Elladan placed a comforting arm around his twin's dejected shoulders and gave his brother a tight, sideways squeeze. He knew he was not his mother, but offered the best support he could give his brother in order to provide him with what he sought. He thought for a moment, trying to come up with wise words that may have been spoken by his mother or father at one point when either of them needed encouragement. "Love is a tricky thing. Everyone wants it to be perfect and just like the fairy tales that are told to us as children, but sometimes it is not that way..."

Elrohir nodded at the remark, but it did little to comfort him. Elladan took another deep breath to continue speaking. He unwrapped his arm from his brother's shoulders and planted his palms on the ground behind himself so he could recline, allowing his arms to support him as he leaned back.

"I do not mean to drag you down nor try to dishearten you more, but you have to look at this from another angle, otherwise you will beat yourself up over this, and I cannot deal with a sulking brother… you are no fun like this." Elladan teased as he gave his brother's arm a nudge with his elbow to intensify his joke and lighten the gloom around his brother

Elrohir drove a short puff of air through his nose out of anger. Elladan was trying to help his twin, but it felt like he was just poking him with a stick with his sullen remarks.

"You have only just met Tauriel and you barely know her. This is no different from the other maidens you have tried to woo. I know you fell hard for her, but how can you truly love someone you do not know?"

"I do not know... I just… I felt it…. in my heart." Elrohir said. "I cannot describe it… I just know what my heart wanted, and it was her."

"But did your head fall in love with the sight of her and stories you may have heard that could have been romanticized, or did your _*heart_* fall in love with her because you figured out who she is deep down inside and your heart *_and_* hers made a connection?"

There was a bit of silence after the comment and Elrohir seemed to be contemplating the words.

"I do not know." Was all Elrohir could offer for an answer.

"You may have wanted her, but can you honestly say you loved her? I doubt there was time to connect on that deep emotional level. I know you tried to connect, but… did you *_really_*?"

"I thought we did. Now I am not so sure." Elrohir took in a deep breath. "But the love has been lost and I will never really know... 'Tis gone forever and will be no more than a memory of heartache and all I can do is ponder over what could have been between us if she had loved me."

Elladan rolled his eyes to himself. His brother was just being dramatic now, but could recall many times when he himself had been declined and the hurt felt terrible. He supposed this feeling was somewhat natural and he certainly understood that his brother felt as though there was no hope at the moment. But rather than tease him about his over-the-top words and extreme sense of dejection, the eldest twin sat up again and resumed his supportive embrace with one arm draped over his brother's stooped shoulders. He gave another squeeze while he spoke with some sort of learned wisdom and a poise he had seen come from their father.

"Love is never truly lost. It is a shame that it was not felt by the one you wanted, but you can grow from this if you allow yourself to. Your heart will find strength and be stronger, and once the heartache heals and you find your true love, you will only love her that much more." Elladan said warmly.

"Where in _Arda_ did *_that_* come from?"

"I think _Ada_ told me that once. I believe my own feelings for another were rejected just as quickly as yours have been. And _Ada_ was right. I know it hurts, but the best medication for a heart, is time."

"... and your sappy words..." Elrohir said dimly. Elladan chuckled at the comment.

"Call them what you will, but there is some wisdom in them. I did not believe it myself when I heard the words for the first time, but eventually, you will see the truth in the meaning."

"When was your heart crushed to the point that you needed to hear this from _Ada_?" Elrohir asked. He and Elladan were extremely close and there were no secrets kept between the two. He could not recall a time when his brother had been completely heartbroken. Discouraged, yes, and even gloomy over having been rejected before, but not like this.

"Do you remember when we traveled with _Ada _and _Nana_ to Nargothrond and there I had my sights on that strawberry blond woman, Lyndle?"

Elrohir nodded.

"Well, she and I got along rather well and quickly. There was the ball being held for the Queen's honor and there I asked her for a dance, but she turned me down quickly and joined her group of friends who pointed to me and giggled from time to time. I was crushed over it and mortified over what she and her friends thought, but realized that I hardly knew her. It hurt to be rejected… I know how you feel right now. And the two of you seemed to be getting along better than Lyndle and I did. But this is just like what happened to me."

"I knew you were upset, but I did not know you were hurt that deep." Elrohir reflected on the memory.

"Well, I could not bring myself to talk to you about it. You were already giving me a hard time as it was, making kissy faces any time I caught sight of her and begging me to name our first son after you." Elladan shot his brother an irritated smirk at the now comical memory. "But like I said, it hurt, and at the time I felt crushed. _Ada_ sat down with me and gave me some insight on love that did not really make sense until after I fully got over it…. which was not long…. a few years later we went to visit with Grandmother and Grandfather in Lothlorien and the maidens there helped me forget all about Lyndle, though I never really found that same connection… yet."

"I had no idea..."

"That was my intent!" Elladan smiled.

"I am sorry I ever gave you hard time." Elrohir said softly. He felt awful now for giving his brother grief so long ago and now knowing that this is what it truly felt like, he felt guilty for adding to his brother's torment.

"You are apologizing nearly two thousand years later for acting as a brother does?" Elladan snorted. "Please - there is nothing to apologize for. Besides, I think I have gotten you back in more ways than one if I truly *_was_* seeking revenge, which I was not, but do not fret."

Again, Elrohir nodded his head as the words rolled around in his head. Elladan watched his brother for a while, letting the silence work its own encouragement over the the distraught elf, allowing Elrohir to have the focus he needed to come to grips with the situation and the advice that was being given to him. When the younger elf turned to eye the landscape again, Elladan broke the quiet calm.

"So…" Elladan clapped his hands together once then held them open, palms up, giving a gesture to catch an answer to the question he was about to ask. "Does this mean Tauriel is technically available?"

Elrohir turned quickly to his brother noting the merry, hopeful twinkle in his eyes as he spoke. Elrohir's heart stopped and he could feel a burn deep inside at hearing his brother's intent. Elladan wanted Tauriel. How could he do this?!

"What?! No!.. I-"

"Oh come now! 'Twas a joke!"

Elrohir let out a massive breath and clenched his jaw as his brother laughed beside him. "I swear it upon the Valar, Elladan… your sense of humor is not funny... At all."

"If you were anyone but yourself, it would be quite funny."

Elrohir crossed his arms over his chest with a displeased shake of his head.

Elladan took a moment for his laughing fit to cease before he was able to speak. He placed a comforting hand on his brother's ridged shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I am sorry. I could not resist. I know I am trying to give you words of wisdom and encouragement, but I am still your brother and the opportunity was just too good to pass up. I know the timing was not right, but you will look back over this in time and find humor in this."

"No I will not because you are not funny! This situation might be one day, but your jokes will still be as terrible as the moment it left your mouth." He said tersely.

The older twin grinned. "Well… we will see… in time…." Elladan quickly switched gears. "I know you will feel down for a while, but know, it does get better. And if you need to talk… seriously talk… then I am here. And I promise not to act as *_a_* brother…. I will act as *_your_* brother." Elladan smiled widely at his twin.

"I am not so sure I would want that…." Elrohir said. After all of the teasing he was currently getting, he might want to keep his mouth shut.

"Well, we are family and will be forever connected. You have my love and support whether or not you want it or even think you need it. But 'Ro-" Elladan called his brother to look directly at him "I am here for you."

Thank you… I think."

Elladan just smiled and gave a firm nod. "Well the hours is late, but I am far from ready to retire this evening. What say you?"

Elrohir just nodded in agreement.

"I propose we go practice our little trick! I still think you are not firing the bow properly and you could use more practice."

"If your ears were tuned right, you would clearly hear Legolas indicated that you were the one doing the majority of the wrongs so it is your fault you cannot catch the arrow."

"Is that so?"

"Shall I prove it to you?"

"Only if you can." Elladan said in mocked defiance. "Go get your equipment and meet me by the barn..." His tone stated that Elrohir had nothing to prove.

Both brothers scooted back from the ledge before they got up and made their way back toward that palace. As they walked, Elladan wrapped his arm around his brother's shoulders once more and pulled him in close as they walked side by side.

"I love you little brother."

"I love you too… though I am not that little." Elrohir said with a grin as he playfully pushed his brother away and making the usually graceful steps of the elf falter.

"I was born first therefore, I am older."

"Oh… details! You were brought into this world mere minutes before I!"

"Thus, making me older!"

"Not by much!"

The usual bicker of the twins could be heard echoing over the court as they walked. Elrohir began to feel his heavy heart lighten a little. He knew, as his brother stated, it would take time for this to heal, but the process had been started and he smiled once again to his brother.

"Thank you 'Dan."

* * *

The hour was late and the Great Hall of Fire was empty with the exception of a few servants cleaning up the space and the Queen who stood in the center of the vacant dance floor.

The space was a complete mess, but the smile on Arwen's face could not be more pleased. This holiday went off without a hitch and she looked about trying to give the last few orders to her serving staff to make sure the area was cleaned enough to call it quits for the evening. The rest could wait until a more appropriate time for she could see the fatigue on everyone's faces from working overtime due to the celebrations.

She looked around for Aragorn, but lost him sometime earlier. He went with Faramir, Gimli and Éomer to do to Valar knows what and knowing her husband and the gang of royalty he was last seen with, it would be no surprise to find him passed out in some private location.

Or so she hoped that would be the case.

She knew Aragorn had more sense than to get drunk to the point of embarrassing himself, but then again, Aragorn had been under a ton of stress these past few weeks and it was only a matter of time before he gave in to temptation and cut loose. She actually expected it since Éomer and his men were known for that sort of behavior and the rest of the men in the company were already fairly in deep with their drinking and fun.

After a few more things were pointed out to the servants, Arwen took her leave of the hall and began searching for her husband.

The study, library and kitchen were all empty so she made her way to the home quarters of the palace. She stepped through the wing that contained the guests' rooms, taking a peek to see if Aragorn had taken some time to visit with friends in a more private setting, but it was very quiet at this hour as everyone had settled down for the night.

After a quick check of their own rooms, the man proved to be elsewhere and Arwen let out a flustered sigh.

**_Where in Arda has he gone to_?**

She went to her son's nursery and gave the child a quick assessment before she found the nurse to tell her that her duties would be prolonged until she could locate Aragorn. The nurse dismissed the matter, claiming he was no trouble now that the little prince was asleep and he would be in good hands until Arwen returned.

Arwen left her chambers and made her way through the surrounding halls to continue searching, but still she could not uncover her husband.

As she walked on, she could feel a cold breeze drift through the corridor and she shuddered at the sudden rush of frigid air. It did not matter how many years had passed since she gave up her immortality to be with Aragorn; there was just no getting used to the cold and she absolutely hated the chilly feeling of winter's approach.

She made her way down the hallway decorated in art and came to the doors that lead to her own private garden that Aragorn had ordered to be landscaped just for her. The man worked hard to try and recreate a place that was reminiscent of Rivendell and was adamant that the majority of plants in the space were evergreen so his wife could enjoy a lively piece of home no matter the time of year.

Arwen stood before the large wood doors with a slight look of disappointment as she found the source of the draft; the heavy doors were ajar and the cold air raced through the entrance trying to defeat the heat that was protected within the stone walls of the palace.

Arwen took one step out onto the balcony in order to reach the metal rings of the door to pull it closed, but a soft murmur of words caught her ears and she halted all movement. Someone had let themselves into her private garden and now her personal place of peace was intruded upon.

Though she did not come out here to enjoy the scenery, the notion that her secret place had been invaded left an ill feeling within her and she took a few more steps outside to see who had been bold enough to walk not only through the halls closest to her family's private wing of the palace, but her outdoor sanctuary as well.

The moon was high and radiated an intense glow making the open air unusually bright with the dense light. However, the evergreen garden was cast in dark shadows as the foliage blocked the light of the moon and making the landscaped forest seem darker than usual when one was on the outside of the darkness looking in. It was difficult to see past the shadow, but Arwen crept to the edge of the balcony and paused to try and locate those who were in her garden.

A few vague whispered words reached her ears though she could not make out what the meaning was and she turned her sights to a far wall. She concentrated on an area with her sharp eyes and after a few moments of peering through the gloom, she caught sight of the intruders and quickly banished all her worries and ill feelings.

Legolas sat on the bench in the tucked away alcove near the stream. His back was turned to Arwen, but she could tell the prince was marveling over the garden as his head would turn this way and that while he looked at the trees and plant life that surrounded him. She thought she had heard him laughing, but his stooped appearance belied that thought as she watched the blond archer from afar. He looked miserable.

Legolas was talking to someone and for a brief time Arwen thought it was Aragorn, but a sweet voice drifted from the area indicating that the other was a woman. After a prolonged period of looking over the area, Arwen's beliefs were confirmed as Tauriel shifted her position on the bench. The shimmer from her elegant cloak could be seen before she settled in a particular way that the light did not touch her and the elf maiden melted back into the cover of darkness. Had Arwen not heard the two, the wood-elves would have been completely overlooked and their privacy would have remained in tack.

Arwen had no intentions of eavesdropping but she found that she could not leave the area just yet as she looked once again to the crestfallen prince. Her heart went out to Legolas and she could see how much he was continuing to hurt, even now. All evening she had hoped to cheer him up with a dance during the party, but when the two parted, Legolas disappeared and was not seen the rest of the night. She had hoped he had joined the fun with Aragorn and the rest of the men, but finding him here now indicated that he did not join the celebratory company.

She wished there was something that could be done to help the grieving prince, but her conversations with her brothers and husband left an unfilled void in her heart as all attempts to help the woodland prince cope and heal were unsuccessful and he remained firmly closed to everyone including those closest to him.

She was about to turn and leave the two, when a sudden deja-vu feeling overtook her senses and the sudden familiarity with her sights captivated her. She watched the two elves on the bench for a while, trying to pick up on why this seemed right, but the elves were not talking and were locked in their own world as they sat on the stone bench surrounded by foliage.

But then, the scene before Arwen changed and she instantly became focused on a vision.

The setting felt as though much time had passed, but the number of years were undecipherable. It was dawn upon western shores and the sun was only moments from peeking its golden glow over the eastern horizon. Tauriel and Legolas sat side by side in the gray light of morning, but they were on a blank, smooth beach looking out over the rolling waves before them, not the forest. They were perched on a weather worn log that was partially buried in the sand rather than sitting on the stone bench and their backs remained turned to Arwen, who was still watching from some distance away. There was a feeling about this vision and Arwen could tell that both of them were closer, more connected and relaxed.

They were happy.

The straight and tall posture of the blond prince held him proudly while Tauriel's auburn head rested against his squared-off shoulder. Her arm was wrapped around Legolas' bicep and the prince tilted his head, allowing it to rest on top of the red crown of hair while they gazed at the colors that began to paint the sky. Their hair stirred slightly in the fresh ocean breeze and mixed together, becoming one as the two sat perfectly still.

Though the two did not speak, Arwen could tell they were reminiscing on past times in Middle Earth, remembering loved ones that were close and dear to each other who could not dwell in Valinor. The memories each elf had were bittersweet, but there was a joy and peacefulness found within Legolas and Tauriel as their worries had disappeared and the wounds over their hearts, both old and new, had healed.

Tauriel picked her head up and stretched her face up to plant a gentle kiss on Legolas' cheek and Arwen smiled at the small romantic gesture. There was a loving connection that could be felt between the two and to Arwen, it felt right. It was the same secure, warm, and joyous feeling found between herself and Aragorn. Arwen could feel the strong connection of love between the two wood-elves and her own heart swelled with joy for the couple.

Tauriel pulled back from Legolas with a fond smile and straightened up. The prince left his sights of the beach to look at Tauriel and he graced her with a smile in return. It was a smile that had not been seen on the blond elf in a long time and all the pain and suffering he was once in could not be detected and he looked to be the light-hearted and strong spirited elf he was known to be.

As Tauriel straightened her posture, the space between both elves grew revealing to Arwen that they were not alone.

Sitting between the couple was a smaller being. It's hair was long and firey-red like that of Tauriel's, but the pin-straight silky hair was pulled back in the same braided fashion as Legolas'. The petite body was clad in clothing that resembled a warrior of the woodland realm and placed on its back was a small quiver and bow. The smaller being seemed to know Arwen was there and turned its gaze over one shoulder to look at her.

The face that greeted the queen was Legolas'.

Or rather it looked just like a childish version of blond archer, but had very subtle differences in his appearance.

Arwen smiled. She instantly knew who was looking back at her. This was Legolas' and Tauriel's child. This was their son.

The youth looked like a perfect mirror to his father with exception to hair color and the eyes. The boy's oculars were unique to himself, holding resemblance to both his father's and mother's. Familiar ice blue eyes melted into emerald green orbs, creating a particular color of turquoise that could only be found sparkling in the sea. The child smiled at Arwen, nodding slightly to confirm Arwen's assumptions based off of what she saw, before the youth turned back to watch the rising sun with his parents.

Legolas bent over to kiss his son's crown fondly and the child turned to look at his father with the same bright happy smile he had cast at Arwen.

Tauriel watched the two proudly and she reached her hand out to intertwine her fingers with Legolas' as she scooted closer to her family, placing her head back on her husband's shoulder to greet the new day. The sun peaked over the horizon and a bright flash took over Arwen's sights.

The image was lost and Arwen found she was still looking at the two on the bench in a cold dark forest. The happiness was gone as stooped shoulders and dejected forms claimed the appearance of the wood-elves. There was an empty space between the two and the child Arwen saw was no more.

Visions were a tricky thing for they did not always come to pass, but somehow Arwen knew that what she saw was a glimpse into the future. She had a vision similar to this one when it concerned herself and her decision to stay here with Aragorn or leave for the Undying Lands. As she recalled the memory of her own vision, she realized how much of it had come true; Aragorn was king, she chose to stay, a son was born, and they were a happy family.

This most recent vision had to end the same way for Legolas.

Arwen looked between the two elves calculatingly for a while trying to pick up on any feelings between the two. She did not know if the spark of love had been ignited within them already, or if they would have to wait until they both reached the western shores, but she tried to decode any hint that would validate her vision and give her reason to believe that there was happiness in the future for her friend.

She jumped slightly as someone approached her from behind and wrapped their arms around her waist tightly. She could tell without even looking that it was Aragorn, but he startled her regardless and she straightened up, forgetting all about the two elves for a while.

"There you are!" Arwen whispered. "I have been looking all over for you!"

"Have you? It seems you have missed a location in your searching then." He teased as he whispered back in her ear. Arwen could smell the traces of alcohol and pipe weed smoke on his breath, and she grinned sarcastically. Arwen melted back into her husband's warm embrace and placed her hands over Aragorn's arms that were still wrapped around her middle.

"You know full well, it is incredibly hard to find a ranger, Estel. Especially when he disappears." She whispered back. Aragorn snorted at the remark and kissed the side of her head near her ear. "Did you have fun tonight?" She asked. She was not really seeking an answer for she knew it already, but asked anyways.

"I did. This was another successful holiday. You have outdone yourself again _Meleth-nin_." Aragorn placed his chin on her shoulder and joined her in marveling over the garden. "Did you have fun?"

Arwen nodded against Aragorn who continued to hold her from behind. She suddenly felt the man's pulse pick up a pace while he held her tighter. She could feel the muscles on the man's face tighten as it rested next to her cheek. He was grinning.

"The night is not over… would you care to partake in some more…. fun?" His tone was soft and warm, yet playful and hinted at a risqué behavior. He placed a tender kiss along her neck, feeling for himself the way her heartbeat fluttered at his lip's gentle caress and he dared to repeat it.

Arwen turned around and looked up into Aragorn's eyes letting him see the warm blushing beginning to set into her cheeks. She nodded almost shyly at him and Aragorn nearly lost himself at the doey-eyed stare he received from his beloved. She was so beautiful when she looked at him like that.

"Well then come-" He spoke a bit louder but Arwen reached up quickly to cover his mouth while she gave a very soft "ssshhh".

Aragorn frowned suddenly, though Arwen could not see it from behind her hand. Once she pulled her fingers away, Aragorn quietly asked, "Why are we whispering?"

Arwen pointed to the darkened area where Legolas and Tauriel sat. The man squinted to try and see what she was pointing at. His eye sight, though incredibly good, was not the same as elven eyes and he could not see what Arwen was talking about.

"What? Trees? Are we keeping secrets from trees?" He asked with raised brows while he stifled a laugh.

"No!" Arwen hissed with a wicked grin and she gave the man a light swat. "Do you not see them? Legolas and Tauriel are out here."

"They are?"

"Yes; they are." Arwen looked back to the blond archer trying to see if their presence was detected, but the elf was oblivious to their location and remained as he had been. Arwen looked back to Aragorn with particular smile. It was warm and happy, but excited and eager at the same time.

"What?" Aragorn chuckled.

Arwen's smiled deepened and she shook her head almost in disbelief. She leaned in close to whisper in her husband's ear. "I… I saw something Estel."

"Oh?" He asked and watched as Arwen turned to the area where Legolas was presumed to be. Her eyes lit up with joy and when she looked back to the man, her soft blue orbs twinkled in the moonlight.

"There is a little one in their future." She said almost bashfully.

"What?!" The man gasped and looked to her with almost a bit of worry. "How do you know?... what ...did... you see?" He asked carefully. This was a very secluded place. If the elves sought it out for a specific purpose, he was sure they would continue to want some privacy. He became a little startled to hear of this, for he thought his wife had seen a very personal, intimate moment that should not have been seen by anyone.

"No Estel!" She threw the words at him with unbelieving sternness. She realized where her husband's mind went and it was evident he had only one thing on his mind. "That is not what I meant! I had a vision! They were in Valinor and the two of them had a child... a son."

"What..." the man breathed in surprise. His features were mostly blank but he lifted his eyes from his wife to peer through the thick darkness to try and find his friend. As he did so, a small smile began to work its way across the man's features in delight as the shock wore off and the full realization set in. It had been quite a long time since he had heard anything joyous in regards to Legolas and the man was relieved to hear only good news rather than worried concerns or disappointment. Though he could not see Legolas, he did not doubt his wife and he smiled to the general direction where Arwen had indicated.

"He was beautiful Estel." She said almost in a dreamy voice. "He looked so much like Legolas."

The man's smile deepened at hearing this and he could picture a miniature Legolas running around while the prince, a tall and proud father, watched over him. He knew Legolas would make for a great father and would do everything in his power not to be the cold and distant _Adar_ Thranduil was. There was no doubt that the king loved his son fiercely, but demonstrating that love was not easy for Thranduil and the bond between the two was a little shaky at times. Regardless of the father and son relationship, Aragorn could also picture a certain joy and proudness on the Woodland King's face as he too marveled over his grandson that held many strong and predominant features both Legolas and Thranduil shared.

He grinned to Arwen but was surprised to see the look of glee on her face had drained and her eyes began to shimmer with light tears. She tried to smile to her husband, but it was laced with so much sadness it was heartbreaking to see.

"What is it _Meleth-nin_?" He asked and cupped her chin slightly in his fingers. His own smile left his face and was replaced with a look of great worry.

Arwen stammered for a moment as she looked at her husband. She didn't want to speak of this, her heart ached over it, but her mind was screaming at her to begin talking.

"I saw him there Estel. I saw Legolas and he was not in Middle Earth. He…. he was happy. Very happy."

Aragorn sobered quickly. He knew what his wife was getting at. He looked off to try and shake the nervousness he felt building but nodded mutely as though he understood.

"He was no longer in any pain and he had been healed."

Aragorn was startled to find that Arwen gently brought her hand up to brush tears away from his own cheeks. He didn't even know the tears had fallen and the man tried to smile to Arwen, but his lips only pressed together and could not curl into a grin. Deep down he knew that is what Legolas needed, but he continued to hold on to what Legolas had told him, believing that the prince did not want to sail. The man knew Elladan was right, Legolas needed help fast and he might only be helped in Valinor, but Arwen's confessions of a vision tore at him and only provided more proof that Legolas would not be at peace here.

He let out a sigh and looked into the darkness again, this time catching a soft shimmer of blond hair, noting for himself that his friend was in fact in the area.

Arwen began to pull her husband away from the balcony so Legolas and Tauriel could continue to have their privacy and to give Aragorn some of his own. They could talk about this further in their rooms. She lead her husband back inside and pulled the door close to the frame, but did not shut it completely, leaving it open slightly for the two elves when they wanted to leave.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

* * *

The beginnings of morning light greeted Tauriel and Legolas who had lost themselves in conversation through the entire night. The fine fragments of frost captured the radiance of the sun and added a sparkle to the delicate pine needles. They drooped overhead like natural crystal chandeliers and the frozen moisture masked the green foliage in the surrounding area in a fine coating of fragile ice.

Legolas shivered slightly and he worked hard to control it. He grabbed the edges of the brown cloak that had been passed to him earlier and overlapped the two sides to add more layers against the chill. His hands felt as though they too were covered in frost and he clasped his freezing hands together under the material to try and conserve heat. Though the cold cut through his elven resistance with ease, the prince had little desire to enter the palace to seek out the warmth. The conversations with Tauriel proved to be a major distraction to the discomfort and aided him and his wishes in remaining in the lively garden.

While he did not get proper rest that night, he felt remarkably refreshed when the light began to appear, despite the power-sapping cold that harassed him. This was the first night in several weeks where he had not been tormented by a graphic nightmare nor did he have to wake up in the gut wrenching horror that was brought on when he snapped out of his dreams. He longed to rest and find actual sleep, but a rare break in his torment was put to good use and he pulled as much strength from the garden that night as he could. By morning, he had found an easy calm that his heart had been craving.

Tauriel was content in talking all night with her old friend and former prince. Most of her fears were beginning to disappear after she had a much needed talk with Legolas. Her confessions had gone over much better than she could have ever anticipated, but there was still a nagging unease tugging at the back of her mind. There were clear indications that Legolas was suffering, but from what she could not get an answer. She had been watching the prince closely all night and her cautiousness only depend every time she could see the pain reflected in his eyes and all the instances when his proud posture shook in the cold. Eventually she took her gifted cloak off and draped it around the blond's shoulders who tried to protest with his usual stubbornness. Tauriel insisted that he cover up and when she would not take it back, he was secretly glad for the covering and huddled under the thick warmth it provided.

The two elves let the entire night pass away while they conversed about everything and nothing. Each took turns telling stories that transpired over the last seventy years, going into details about the events in their lives after the battle that took place on Raven Hill so long ago. Tauriel told of her nomadic lifestyle and the various places she called home. Legolas dove into the tales of how he met Strider and all the adventures and near-death escapes they had. Tauriel was updated on all of their friends from Mirkwood and who was doing what and the roles they played in all of the major events that had taken place over the years.

Another breeze passed through as the morning atmosphere stirred. It seemed as though the earth itself let out a yawn and the chilled air brushed by fast, but did not last but a few seconds. The prince could not stifle the shiver that claimed him this time and without his consent, his body shuddered against the crisp air. He forced his frigid, numb hands to grab the cloak and tucked it more securely around him, though he knew it was foolish to try and do so since he had been trying to find just the right placement of the fabric since Tauriel had passed it to him hours ago. No amount of shifting it could provide any more warmth than it already was and now that the nightly still air was beginning to move with the daily winds that gusted down the mountain tops, the abnormally thick cloak seemed to hold little resistance to the cold around the sensitive prince.

Tauriel could hear the subtle chattering teeth of her comrade. Watching an elf suffer in the cold was a strange feeling to her. Since she had lived with mortals, this reception to the cold was normal to those who had once been around her, so Legolas' reaction should be true. Yet, he was an Elda and was not supposed to feel the cold the same way that humans and dwarves did. She tried so hard to listen intently to any clues as to what transpired in the prince's life to bring about this unusual elven perception and help explain some of the tremendous raw hurt she had seen several times now. However, the happy lively garden captivated Legolas' heart at the moment and once he had calmed down, he could only talk about happier times. He successfully pushed his ordeal to the back of his mind and far out of reach. Tauriel was still as clueless as ever on what had happened.

"Are you ready to call it a night?" She giggled softly at her own slight joke as she squinted to the eastern wall to try and get a glimpse of the rising sun. "I feel as though I am a child again… that we are in Mirkwood and you and I should be scrambling back to the palace from one of our nightly practice sessions so as not to be late for our lessons." She said and turned a glittering smile to the blond prince who simply nodded.

"I cannot believe it is morning already." Legolas stated while Tauriel stood to her feet and walked about the area to shake out the slight stiffness from sitting on the cold stone bench. She picked up the light tune she had been humming on and off all night and she began to explore her immediate surrounding area.

Legolas watched her as she moved about to look at the brilliant frost proof flowers that graced the garden they were in. It seemed that their long hours of conversation had a tremendous affect on the elf maiden and there was a pleasantness on her face that had been missing before. It was the same easy smile and relaxed, yet strong appearance that always captivated him and he loved to see. The worry she had been carrying around was hard to get a glimpse of. It looked as though a physical weight had been lifted off of her shoulders as she held herself straighter and more confident while she strolled a few paces in the garden.

A small smile worked its way over the prince's lips as he watched Tauriel wander about and took advantage of the morning light so she could have a proper look at the landscape they had both stumbled in.

Tauriel bent at the waist to become eye level with a blushing camellia flower that had opened sometime in the night. She pushed her nose to the dainty petals and took in a long draught of air. Her eyes close softly while she took in the scent and Legolas watched her every move silently. Her ivory cheeks mirrored the soft pink tint of the flower as a combination of the cold air and her joyous look worked in just the right way to make the subtle color appear on her face.

She was beautiful.

She always had been to him, but when they both met only days ago the look she displayed now had not been present. It was as though all her cares were gone and she was living in the moment, relishing in this tranquility that had been given to both of them. Tauriel opened her rich green eyes to take a glance at the flower that her nose was still in, then she straightened her posture.

"It has been ages since I have seen a camellia! Mortals do not appreciate all plant life and only grow gardens for the warm weather when they can enjoy it. I think the last time I saw this flower… I was back home." She turned to the prince who was still sitting on the bench. He was watching her with a twinkle in his eyes and he was smiling in a particular way. Tauriel returned the smile, only it was more puzzled and she cocked her head to look at him.

"What?" She nearly laughed.

Legolas looked off towards the stream but the smile was still on his face. "It is good to have you back Tauriel."

"It is good to be back..." But she shook her head as if a funny thought entered her mind. "However, back is not the correct term for I am quite sure I have never been here before."

Legolas huffed with a barely contained smirk. "I know what you mean." He said quietly.

Tauriel walked over to the prince and stood before him. "Come on, let us head inside." She grabbed his forearm that was covered by the cloak to encourage him to rise. As he stood, the folds of fabric parted allowing the cold air to flood him and he pulled the cloak tighter about his frame to battle the chill. Tauriel did not miss the way the prince kept himself covered up and glanced up to him almost sadly.

Legolas could read the expression easily enough, for everyone around him always regarded him with that same sympathetic, worried stare and he sighed as his once easygoing feelings were becoming heavy once more.

"All is well Tauriel." He almost whispered while he tried to put her at ease.

"Are... you sure?" She hesitantly asked. She knew her old friend well enough to know when he did not want to discuss matters, but something was just not right regardless of what the prince told her.

Legolas did not answer. It was becoming the same story as it was with everyone else and he did not wish to discuss it in any way by either denying or affirming that anything had happened. He just wanted it to be forgotten about.

"The breakfast hour is nearly here." He shifted the subject as he began to walk back to the interior of the palace and Tauriel followed him. Legolas pushed the doors open and held his hand out, indicating for Tauriel to pass and displaying princely chivalry. With a nod in thanks, Tauriel brushed past him.

The two elves made their way soundlessly through the palace. Legolas kept his eyes downcast, not willing to look up in the halls, especially when they backtracked through the hall of art. He did not want to be anywhere near the ocean painting he had seen earlier and feared if he caught sight of it, it would oppress his calm state. Tauriel on the other hand turned her head and began to walk a few paces behind her friend as she looked at the pictures. However, she did not get to marvel over them for long as Legolas had quickened his pace and she meant to keep up.

They passed by the grand doors on one side of the hall that belonged to the king's private quarters and continued onward to more familiar halls. Once the boundary of foreign space and well known halls had been passed, the two found themselves close to their own rooms. Legolas pulled up in an intersection and Tauriel stepped up beside him in question.

"Do you recognize where you are?" Legolas asked in close resemblance to a monotone voice. Before Tauriel could really answer him, he nodded down the hall and spoke. "The dining room is a long ways down there and is to your left."

Tauriel nodded. "I thought there was no place in Middle Earth that was as confusing as Mirkwood, but I think this place can match it."

Legolas grinned at the comment. He suddenly pulled the cloak off of his shoulders and neatly gathered the garment before he passed it back to Tauriel.

"Thank you." was he could say, but Tauriel did not need any clarification on what the thanks was for and she only smiled.

"Legolas, if you need it, you should-"

"No, I have plenty of others. I just did not plan ahead and get one last night. Take this one and replace your old one with this. I will not have you returning home looking worse for wear." He said while he pushed the cloak into Tauriel's possession and he crossed his arms to try and keep warm now that the cloak was not around his shoulders. "Breakfast should be starting soon, if it has not already. You should go before you miss it."

"Wait, will you not be joining?"

The prince just shook his head. "I would rather go get cleaned up and ready for the day. Perhaps I will meet up with you later."

"Oh..."

The prince began to walk down the second hallway to his rooms when the rustling of fabric behind him caused him to turn a peek at Tauriel who was walking down the hall to the guest quarters as well. "Are you not going to breakfast?" He asked.

"Oh... no I am not that hungry." But even as she spoke those words, her stomach let out a grumble in protest and uncovered her lie before she could even finish it.

Legolas quirked a brow at her. "Is that so?"

"I… I do not want to go there by myself." She admitted.

Legolas turned his body to fully face her and saw the look of worry had crossed her fair features yet again.

"What is wrong?" he asked almost flatly. Now that his connection with nature had been severed, he could feel the tiredness began to fog his mind and all he wanted to do at that moment was go to his rooms and try to rest.

Tauriel began to flush and stammered for a moment before she could speak. "Elrohir… he will be in there. I-I cannot go in alone… I cannot face him right now." She brought her emerald eyes up to meet the prince's sapphire oculars.

"Tauriel..." The prince brought a hand to his face and pressed his thumb and fingers into his eyes. He rubbed them trying with effort to find the right words to put her at ease, but the awkward situation at hand was becoming uncomfortable for everyone and he had no idea what to say. He honestly did not want to get involved. He did not have the energy to.

"Please?" She whispered.

"Please what?"

Tauriel just looked intently at the prince with a pleading stare.

"You want me to go with you..." Legolas stated evenly as he understood what was being requested of him. His exhaustion tainted his voice, causing him to sound slightly displeased and Tauriel only furrowed her brows, fearing he would turn her down. The prince shifted his weight from one foot to another as he contemplated the idea. He had no desires to be present at breakfast. After the chaos that ensued last night during the ball, the last thing he wanted to do was face people right now and have to explain his actions. He wanted to go drift off and wallow in the easiness that was lingering in his being after the long night in the peaceful garden.

Yet, how could he turn those large green eyes down? The ones that were looking up to him so sweetly and begged him without words not to leave her.

He did not want to leave her.

With a quiet sigh and a nod, the prince returned a light smile to Tauriel.

"Sure." He agreed quietly.

The change in Tauriel's face was drastic and the lines of worry smoothed out almost instantly. She too had a streak of elven stubbornness and would be hard pressed to admit being scared. Yet, if asked in a serious situation, Tauriel could not deny that going to breakfast alone, after a sudden decline to the king's brother, did scare her. She hoped Legolas could provide enough of a distraction to her and others so she would not have to face Elrohir alone.

"Thank you..."

Legolas changed his course and began walking down the hall with Tauriel at his side. The conversations coming from the mess hall reached their ears before they could even see the door and both elves halted just outside and mentally prepared themselves to enter.

The prince only took a few seconds and a deep breath to calm himself and dropped his folded arms to his side in order to obtain a normal appearance. With his chin kept high, he walked pass the threshold and did a quick survey of the room to see who was present.

Tauriel stepped up behind Legolas and kept herself within close proximity of the prince, almost as though she were trying to hide behind him. Legolas could feel her brushing up against him as she tried to stay close and he half way looked over his shoulder to try and get a glimpse of her, but she kept her eyes on the floor and was not willing to look at anyone for fear of looking at Elrohir.

Legolas looked back to the room and noted there were very few people there as the celebrations carried on into the early hours of morning. The king and queen were absent as well as a vast majority of the nobles, lords and other assortment of advisers and important people. Only an easily identifiable gathering was in the room. The twins were in their usual places and they greeted the prince with a cheery welcome. Elrohir's smile quickly faded when he caught sight of Tauriel entering the room and stepped behind Legolas. He instantly set his sights on the plate of food in front of him and became very interested with his fork. Gimli sat quietly a few chairs down and had a stooped appearance. Across from the dwarf were two people with the same slouching in their posture as the dwarf.

Legolas moved forward to take his seat and Tauriel was not even a pace behind him as they brushed past the twins to take up their usual chairs. The prince could easily see the men now that he was facing them and smirked slightly to himself. Éomer covered half of his face with his hand as he had it propped up on his palm while his elbow dug heavily into the table. His long dirty-blond hair was a stringy mess and was carelessly pulled back out of his face. He was absently stirring a cup of coffee with a small spoon and the scratchy sound of the metal scraping over the glazed ceramic proved to be the only other noise in the hall, besides that of the hushed conversation that picked back between the twins.

Beside Éomer, Faramir sat in much the same manner. His rust color hair hung in his face that was turned to his plate and he carefully chewed on a biscuit. The two men and dwarf were clearly nursing severe hangovers and did not so much as move when the two elves appeared.

A servant dashed into the kitchen to prepare plates for the new arrivals and in no time, cups of hot tea were brought out along with heaping plates of food.

Legolas grabbed the mug of tea and carefully wrapped both hands around the cup to absorb the heat that was emanating from the smooth glaze. He sat back in his chair while he took a few sips from the cup and looked around at everyone while Tauriel began to pick at the food on her plate. Legolas looked to the breakfast that was provided and yet again, had no desires to eat.

The twins apparently switched seats today and as one of the Noldor-elves leaned over to speak with him, Legolas was surprised to find it was Elladan rather than Elrohir.

"Can we get you something else to eat?" Elladan asked quietly. Legolas just shook his head and took another sip from the hot mug in his hands. Elladan frowned and in the next moment turned to a passing servant and quietly requested a bowl of porridge. The staff member headed off to fill the order and Elladan turned back to the prince who was openly glaring at him.

"What?... You need to eat." the raven-haired elf defended himself and Legolas huffed with irritation. "So where were you last night?" Elladan asked the prince with a mischievous smile. He did not want to get into it with the headstrong elf at the moment. Trying to get the prince to eat was like trying to force a horse to drink. It was nearly impossible and could end harshly if one was not tactful in the approach. The prince seemed calmer than he once was, but there were hints of exhaustion in his appearance and the Noldor-elf eyed the prince with skepticism to try and conclude on his own what the prince had gotten into that night. Both Legolas and Tauriel were still dressed in their formal wear from last night, which was very uncharacteristic of the prince.

"What do you mean?" Legolas questioned back. The look he received from Elladan surprised him and made the twin to appear to be thinking Legolas was up to no good.

"I went to your rooms late last night to check on you after the party had ended, but you were not there-"

"I do not need to be check on constantly." The prince's vexed sigh was low and held a subtle hint of displeasure. He was rather annoyed that everyone persisted in keeping him company when he only wanted to be alone. It felt as though no one would grant him that right. He was further glad he had stayed the night in the garden, even if it left him chilled, for he did not have to tread carefully around any of the four people who had heightened levels of concern for him and constantly smothered him with unwanted company.

"Well, we tried to get you for breakfast as well, but you were still not there. We were starting to get worried that you would show up looking like these three." Elladan nudged his nose towards the quiet end of the table and after the elf's remark, Gimli mumbled something about "dratted elves" and alcohol tolerance.

Legolas did not know what to say to that. He gave a quick glance to Elladan to try and see where he was going with this, but felt as though the twin was in the early stages of prodding for information and he looked away and focused on Tauriel beside him. She had remained quiet and was listening to Legolas and Elladan talking, hoping the conversation would not turn to the subject of her and Elrohir.

A servant walked to Elladan and handed him the bowl of hot oat cereal as requested. Elladan took it politely and helped himself to the prince's space by pushing Legolas' untouched plate of food back towards the center of the table. He placed the porridge in front of the blond and the Noldor-elf nudged a spoon closer to the bowl, further indicating his demands with Legolas eating.

The woodland prince pursed his lips into a scowl and pushed the bowl back by the plate. Even if he was hungry, his obstinacy flared and he refused the food only to prove a point, silently demanding Elladan to back off.

"I do not want it."

"Legolas-" the raven haired elf sighed in frustration but was cut off by the clipped mention of his own name.

"Elladan..." Legolas' voice was a bit louder and was bordering anger. The tense moment halted and all eyes turned to the far end of the table by a tired voice speaking to all present.

"For the love of all that is green in Middle Earth… will you please keep it down..." Éomer pleaded as he held his pounding head. He transferred his head from one hand to another and revealed a rather distinct bruise upon his cheekbone.

Legolas looked away quickly and set his jaw as an unrelenting wave of guilt crashed over him and nearly made him sick.

By the Valar he hoped that bruise was not caused by him.

Elladan snickered slightly at the man. "Had a bit too much fun last night, did we?" He asked the man who only nodded his head a few times but stopped immediately and winced when it aggravated his headache.

"I do not know why I continue to think that I can keep up with you in my drinking..." Faramir added as he reached for a goblet of water and drank carefully from it before he finished his comment. "...For every time I do, I end up like this."

"Lads, if ya' just listened ta' me in how to prevent the after effects, then we wouldn't be in this sort of mess an' would be just fine." the dwarf said.

"Oh? And how does one prevent the ill effects of drinking too much alcohol, Master Dwarf?" Elladan asked with a chuckle. "I would say the best way to never feel this way is to never drink."

"Or never stop." The dwarf said and rubbed his temple.

"Oh, honestly, Gimli!" Elladan laughed. He seemed to be the only one who thought it was funny and he elbowed his twin slightly to get his sulking brother's attention. "Did you hear that El?"

Elrohir snorted softly. "It makes sense… in a twisted sort of logic." He turned to look down the table, but Tauriel's form blocked the sight of the dwarf and he let out a weary sigh.

"Only if you have a death wish or desire to be called the town drunk!" Elladan chirped, but Éomer held out his hand silently asking for him to keep his voice down. Elladan grinned mischievously. "What happened to your face?" He questioned.

"What?" Éomer asked and brought a hand up to his cheek, but jerked in pain at having touched the bruise. "What the..." he turned a confound stare to the twin and went still as he forced his foggy mind to recall the events from last night. It was proving to be a hard task.

Faramir looked up to his brother-in-law to try and catch a glimpse of what everyone was looking at but could not see it nor did he really have the desire to pay much more attention to it.

"Probably happened when you fell on the table." Faramir commented off handedly.

"I did?... Oh... that's right... I... did… didn't I?" snatches of memory were returning to the King of Rohan and he squinted his eyes with the effort to think about the confusing jumble of events that took place.

"And the 'night before' mystery begins!" Elladan piped up. He was trying to contain his laughter.

"Someone… hit me?" Small pieces were coming back to the Rohirrim King, but while he could recall falling, he failed to know what caused it, or even who.

Legolas gulped silently. "I am sorry Éomer." he nearly whispered.

"What for?"

"For that." He looked right at the ugly blemish on the man's face. Everyone looked to the prince in surprise.

"You?..." Éomer began, but once the elf confessed, memory hit him and he sat back watching the elven prince slightly perplexed.

"*_You_* did that?" Elladan's eyes were huge with a jolt of displeased amazement. He looked between the king and prince to see who would speak first, but Éomer seemed to be piecing things together and Legolas had gone as white as a sheet. "What happened?!"

"You… you were upset and... pushed me?" Éomer questioned as though he doubted his memory. He could not fathom a reason as to why someone he considered a friend would act that way towards him, but the memory seemed right yet could not come up the logic behind it.

"What?" Both twins asked nearly the same time and gawked at the blond elf.

"I... I don't - I'm sorry. I am so sorry Éomer." Legolas stammered as he set the mug of tea on the table and began to push his chair away so he could stand. Tauriel placed a calming hand on his forearm and looked up to her prince who was clearly upset and flustered.

Legolas snatched his hand back quickly, severing the comforting gesture. The last time Tauriel had touched him she almost received a glimpse of his shame. He had caught a lucky break the first time and did not want to risk it again. He turned and rounded the table despite the pleas of his friends and left. He could not be there now. All of the malicious feelings and emotions began to flood back, causing his eyes to blur with a rush of moisture as he walked towards his chambers with a rapid marching pace.

Tauriel got up as well and followed the prince. As she began to leave the hall, she could feel eyes on her back and she chanced a glance behind her to catch Elrohir watching her leave after Legolas. His stare was not displeased, but the hurt was evident and she looked away quickly as she ran after her old friend to try and close the gap in space between the two.

She caught up with Legolas as they approached his door and she called out softly to try and get the distraught elf to halt, but he would not listen to her. In fact, her presence seemed to spur him on and he gained his rooms with frantic speed.

Tauriel sidestepped her way between the prince and the door effectively blocking him from his destination.

"Legolas… please… hold on-"

"*_Get_* out of my way!" the prince demanded harshly through clenched teeth.

"Not until you calm down!" She sought Legolas' eyes and her concern turned to worry when she saw the liquid on the brim of his eyes. She had never seen her prince cry. Never. Something was seriously wrong. "Legolas. Please talk to me-"

"No!" the prince nearly shouted. The trapped sensation was returning and he felt desperate to get to his rooms and away from everyone. He backed up a few paces to put some distance between himself and Tauriel, but she hesitantly followed him to try and find a way to console him. "This does not concern you! Leave me alone!"

An uncanny resemblance to Thranduil over took the prince's features as his anger and frustrations turned his handsome face cold and rigid and his piercing blue eyes contained a hint of rage that Thranduil always carried. Tauriel braced herself.

"Legolas. Stop this. Please."

"Get out of my way! NOW!"

Tauriel suddenly found herself being pulled to the side by a foreign force. All she could do was watch as Legolas did not hesitate and found his opportunity to get past her. After a couple of dashed steps, the prince gained the door and pushed it open just enough to squeeze through, then he hurriedly closed it causing the door to slam.

Tauriel watched her friend disappear behind the wooden door before she looked to her side at the person who had intervened and pulled her away.

The King of Gondor stood at her side and his hands were still firmly gripping her shoulders. His silver eyes were locked on the direction of the closed doors. He too watched with concern when Legolas bolted for the door and forcibly closed it. Aragorn had finally gotten up late in the morning and intended on making down for the tail-end of the breakfast hour, but overheard Legolas' fantastic pleas to be left alone and he took a detour to see what was going on.

He saw the desperation in his friend's features and could only see a few outcomes to this situation and all of them would not end well. Tauriel had no idea what she was dealing with and he ran over to the petite elf maiden who was trying to reason with the hysterical prince. The king pulled her aside to clear the way for Legolas who distinctly wanted to get to his rooms.

Aragorn looked to Tauriel and saw every bit of confused worry in her leafy green eyes.

"What is going on?" She gasped. She could not comprehend what Legolas was going through and hoped that the king, who Legolas claimed to be a brother, could fill her in.

Aragorn just shook his head. "Just leave him alone Tauriel. He needs to calm down. He is too worked up over something. Just let him go."

"What happened to him?!" She demanded as the tenseness in the situation caused her to temporarily forget that she was speaking to a king. However, Aragorn did not reprimand her, even if he did care. She obviously knew something was wrong, but what was still a giant mystery.

Aragorn went very still and contemplated only briefly on filling Tauriel in on the prince's trauma, but banished it quickly. He knew Legolas would be beyond furious if he uttered his business to anyone. The man already felt as though he were walking that dangerous line for he had already let his tongue lose to his brothers and wife on the matter without Legolas' consent.

"Come on Tauriel. We will give him some space and once he has calmed down, we will make sure he is alright." Aragorn began to pull her back from the door and she reluctantly allowed herself to be lead away.

"King Elessar…. Please, you know something I do not. He is in pain. I can see it. What happened?"

"It is not something I am at liberty to discuss."

"But something *_did_* happened to him..." Her comment was almost a question asking for confirmation.

"Yes."

"He was hurt." She pressed on and Aragorn straightened up to look about the hall nervously. Though the king did not confirm her statement, he did not deny it and she took it for what it was. "He was hurt badly..."

Aragorn caved slightly yet said no more than Tauriel had already stated. He did his best to put her at ease.

"Legolas has been hurt and the emotional scarring has gone deep, but I believe anyone would be if they were placed in his position. We are dealing with it the best way we know how and the best thing we can offer him is space and time. I can say no more than that and if you need more information, it will have to come from Legolas himself."

Tauriel dropped her gaze.

"I will personally check on him later. I assure you. But if you know Legolas in any way that I do, you know he does not want to be bothered right now. I will let him calm down so he can think rationally and I'll come by after breakfast. Will you join us?" He asked to try and get Tauriel off the subject and away from the prince's rooms.

"Thank you my lord, but I have already taken breakfast. I think I will just head to my chambers." Her voice was low and soft and edged with disappointment.

Aragorn nodded. "Tauriel. I am not keeping anything from you out of ill reason. This is a very personal matter and we are all trying to deal with this. I am asking for your utmost understanding, not for myself, but for Legolas."

"If I can do anything…" She let her statement trail off leaving her offer open to anything that may be requested of her.

"Then you will be the first one I come to if he needs help." The man said with an understanding smile. Tauriel just nodded and the two of them parted to head off in their own respective directions.


	27. Chapter 27

_**There is a lot of dialect that I wanted to have be in Elvish but do not speak it so when the dialect is **__**Italicized **__**, it means Elvish is being spoken.**_

* * *

Chapter 27

* * *

"Legolas?" Aragorn called out to his friend from the outside of the thick doors that closed off all contact to the prince's room. He had pressed himself close to the door, trying to pick up any movement from within the chambers, but let out a dejected sigh as he was met only with silence like all the other times he had tried to coax the Wood-elf to open the door. He tapped his knuckles on the wood again, hoping his friend was not ignoring him and had simply failed to hear his soft voice. But even that idea was shot down knowing that elven hearing could pick up on the noise with full clarity despite the barrier between them. Legolas was ignoring him just as he had been ignoring everyone else the past few hours.

The man tested to door for what seemed like the millionth time. It rattled on its hinges but remained firmly closed as the bolt had been put to good use and was firmly in place, ensuring it could not be opened from the outside.

"Legolas, _mellon-nin_… please! 'Tis only I… Aragorn. I want to speak with you. Can you let me in?"

He paused again to try and listen to any light noise of the approaching elf, but it was as though he were talking to the wooden door rather than a person and there was absolutely no response to any of his efforts to see his friend.

Legolas was not unaware with Aragorn's attempts to see him and the elf buried his head under a pillow to try and block out the disturbance. He lay on his stomach on top of the covers of his bed and was trying to find some rest and help his weary state, but sleep was elusive and taunted him. He came close to dozing off a few times, but he was pulled back from the comforting oblivion as the twins, Gimli, Tauriel, Aragorn, and even Éomer tried their luck in comforting the prince. He neglected them every time.

Gimli, Tauriel and Éomer had been easily deterred by his lack of response, but Aragorn and his brothers were harder to breakdown. Aragorn had always been a persistent man and had an incredible amount of patience. When the elf would not open the door, the man would leave for a while, only to come back and try again.

Aragorn gave the door another knock voicing his presence and the elf pulled the edges of the down pillow over his head, pressing it closer to his ears. This was now the third time Aragorn had stopped by and the third time Aragorn alone had pulled him from the clutches of sleep. The elf let out an exasperated huff into the bedding at his face.

The prince cursed his elven senses. Despite the thick pillow threatening to smother him, he could still hear the man clearly begging to come in and the elf grunted to himself. Couldn't any of them just take a hint?

Legolas was thoroughly annoyed and was starting to be encouraged to open to door and satisfy the man's wishes so he could finally get some peace, but there was an exhale of disappointment coming from the other side of the door and the king's boots began to ring in the corridor as he gave up, at least for a small time, and left the doors.

All went back to the complete silence, but the elf knew it would not last for long. Someone would return to resume trying to get him to let them in. He hated avoiding everyone and further hated to feel like he was on the run but decided if he wanted any peace, he would not find it here. He pushed the pillow off of his head and rolled over onto his back to stare at the ceiling. He contemplated the limited options he had to seek a private space so as not to be bothered and the best course to take to find such a place without seeing everyone in the halls.

Legolas let out a sigh as he could feel a yawn build up and his jaw muscles tightened as he stretched. With a weary groan, he pushed himself up into a sitting position and rubbed his face to help chase away the fuzziness of exhaustion and stood up.

Immediately, his head began to swim and his hands, arms and legs began to tingle sharply after standing up far too fast for his frail state to handle. Legolas quickly sat on the edge of the bed to let the alarmingly odd sensations pass. The lightheaded feeling faded quickly but just as soon as it disappeared, a rush of pressure took its place and the elf closed his eyes against to the thumping pain of his own pulse racing through his head. He pushed his face toward the ceiling and breathed slowly until the pain subsided to a dull ache that would not leave.

Legolas brought his face to the room again and sighed.

**_Great_** he thought. **_Even my own body is harassing me._**

His annoyance only turned to guilt. He had no one to blame but himself for his state for he steadfastly refused to eat due to the fear of retching again and though he tried to sleep, it only stressed him out more. Even simple foods made the prince wary about eating and he rolled his eyes and shook his head against what felt like his uncontrollable, yet poor decisions. He did not know how much longer he could keep this up for it was proving to bring him down at the very moment.

He stood to his feet again, this time rising slowly and kept a firm hand on the mattress until he could acclimate to being upright. He tentatively made his way to the bathing chambers and splashed some water on his face. He stood up from the sink and dabbed his face dry then ran a comb through his hair, pulling the old braids out.

As he worked over his hair, he ran through his mind of a place he could wander off to or find something to do that could occupy him, and him alone. He began to gather up sections of hair to begin pulling it back in it's usual appearance, but stopped rather quickly. He had no desires to look the part of a prince or a warrior and wherever he was headed off to did not require him to uphold his noble looks. And so, he resumed brushing it out and decided to keep it free.

But suddenly he felt a rush of disappointment. Appearance had nothing to do with responsibilities and at the end of the day, he was a prince weather the braids were worn or not. Here he was, still toiling about and neglecting his duties and leaving his people leaderless. He needed to get some work done now so that when he returned to Ithilien in a few days, he could put plans into action. He had to figure out what to with everyone during the winter months now that the plant life had gone dormant and the restoration with the forests came to a close weeks ago. Various towns still needed help with their rebuilding and he needed to get letters out to gather information as to whom would be needing help this season.

He hoped there was still a lot of work that needed to be done. Though he hated to admit it, the elves relied heavily on the hospitality of their mortal neighbors during the harsh months. His people had taken the responsibility to help the forests grow, but it was easier said than done. The evil that had once taken over the lands had sucked the life out of the earth and growing something as simple as grass was a major undertaking. Farming for their own food source that would produce a significant substance was obtainable, but very tedious with the malnourished soil. The ancient twisted tree roots that were woven tightly under the compact earth also added to the prevention of mass farming.

Hunting was also not spectacular since the wildlife was slow to return and the elves' tender hearts were always reluctant to make a kill. Hunting was kept to a minimal and when they did, it was out of necessity and nothing went to waste.

The elves were far from struggling however and were resourceful enough to take to a foraging lifestyle. They harvested as much food as they could from the fruit and nut bearing trees that had been established for many years prior and were stable enough to produce a crop. Late spring, summer and early fall were fairly easy living and the elves had no trouble getting by, but creating lasting winter pantries with the unpredictable cold season was another matter. Usually by the end of winter, the food supplies would be very low and it always worried Legolas for he hated to come close to struggling and would never want his people to suffer. His father had always created the best plans for the food storage in Mirkwood and the prince strived to bring that same comfort to Ithilien. It was his duty.

Legolas and his overseers always liked to have a large cushion of extra food for their people. When they would begin digging into the emergency rations, they were relieved they had thought ahead to save more than they planned for, but became stressed that they had come to that point and did all they could to make the rations last. By going to the human cities and lending a hand there, their food rations could be stretched out for their form of payment was the goodwill of Faramir's and Aragorn's people and they frequently provided food to the hard working elves who took no monetary payments for their help.

And now he had to prepare for the arrival of the Noldor-elves. Extra housing would have to be built, the efforts to find and provide more food for the extra bodies would have to be upped; there was so much work to be done and those were just the major tasks at hand to look over and knew there were countless minor details that would not be uncovered until he got down to work.

Legolas focused himself on royal duties since he had nothing else to do and he would not find any rest yet again this day. It would be best to get started now.

He formulated a plan for the day and knew he needed to get some basic office supplies so he could record thoughts and write letters. He would have to make a stop by Aragorn's office and retrieve any spare items he could come across. He flipped his golden hair over his shoulder so it fell down his back and headed out of the bathing chambers. He looked to the windows to gauge the time by the position of sun. The midday meal would be starting soon and the office and halls would be vacant for the most part. If he wanted to slip by unnoticed, he needed to move now.

He returned to his rooms and changed out of the formal wear he was still dressed in and pulled on the everyday warriors clothing he preferred. He grabbed his belt and wrapped it around his waist over the woodland green tunic and cinched the strap as tight as the notches would allow, but looked down at his waist with a frown. The belt did not fit right and was too large. He pulled the leather band further though the buckle until it fit like it should and forced the prong through the solid leather, creating a new cinch point that made the belt belt fit properly.

After tying the excess length in the usual knot next to the buckle, he made for the closet and retrieved a rabbit-fur lined cloak and draped it over his shoulders. He felt ridiculous wearing something so thick and bulky, but knew he could be far more miserable without it and pinned it in place with his much adored mallorn leaf brooch he received from Lothlorien. After enduring the cold all night long in the garden, he would not take any chances now with the weather and made sure he was prepared in case his place of solitude was found outside.

He crept to his door and pressed his ear up against the wood, listening intently to try and see if there were any occupants in the hall before he slid the bolt back and cracked the door cautiously. His hearing did not deceive him and he found the hall to be empty, but he did not know for how long. In a rushed, yet fluid motion, he opened the door and stepped into the hall and quietly closed the door behind him. He made his way through the maze of hallways until he came to the open doors of the king's study and the elf poked his head through, checking that the room was clear before he entered. He made his way to the desk, opened the drawers and grabbed a small stack of blank parchments, a spare quill and a small corked inkwell before he turned back to the halls so his presence would not be noted.

Legolas had no idea where to roam to. It was the same predicament he had encountered every time he sought out a secluded place, but with the spike in guest attendances, the halls were never truly deserted and he struggled to locate a place where he felt comfortable and secure. The elf brushed by a hall graced by dozens of long narrow windows giving glimpses of the exterior. There, he found the royal stables and set his destination to the barn, knowing that it would be fairly uninhibited and the only people who would be in there would not know him well enough to pester him. He backtracked his route in the hall until he came to the doors that lead to the courtyard where he and Gimli had a game of targets and crossed the stone patio and entered the barn.

It looked exactly as it did a few days ago and the elf walked briskly in search for the spacious feed lockers to hunker down in. He walked row by row trying to find the horse's pantries and when he had entered the last row he found a door that could only lead to the storage room and the elf approached.

He was stopped however by a sharp whinny and the elf looked over his shoulder to see Brego watching him. The horse was fidgeting in excitement and seemed to be prancing in place as he hung his massive head over the stone wall of the stall.

"_Greetings_ Brego." the elf said in elvish with a smile and the horse flicked his ears several times to try and pick up on the reason for the elf to be here. He let out a snort and the elf chuckled to himself. "_No my friend, I am not here to feed you._"

Though Brego was a mighty animal and a noble steed, he was still a horse and had learned early on that when someone entered the pantries, meal time would follow within a matter of minutes. Like all domesticated animals, they looked forward to their meals and would try to will their masters into giving second portions by doing tricks, making noise or simply trying to get their attention.

Brego was no exception

The horse raised his head swiftly and flattened his ears. He was not pleased and the brown horse voiced his disapproval by letting out a wail that caused the elf to turn fully toward the horse with furrowed brows.

"_And why we you not fed_?" the elf questioned. The horse swung his head over the wall as if to look over his stall and huffed with a snort before he looked back to the elf with large pleading eyes.

"_Oh _Brego_, I am sure they did not mean to forget to feed you, for this was a onetime occurrence, was it not_?" the elf asked. The horse clearly was not starving. In fact he looked to be the epitome of perfect health. Legolas was half weary of the horse's claims of not being fed as he was well tuned to horse's antics and constantly wanting more feed, but the horse picked up on the elf's cautious nature and he backed up. Brego searched for his overturned feed bucket and nudged it upright before he grabbed it with his teeth and dropped it on the other side of the wall.

The wooden pail crashed on the stone floor and the elf watched as the round bucket lazily rolled on its side. Not even a single grain was left in the bottom of the pail and the elf took a few paces to the canister and picked it up by the metal handle.

The horse gave a demanding grumble and bobbed his head trying to encourage the elf to feed him.

"_You had better be telling me the truth, for if I over feed you and make you sick, I am quite sure _Aragorn _would have me locked up._" The elf smiled as he turned to the pantry and opened the door. The storage room was tiny and could barely fit all the supplies inside for the mass amounts of horses and Legolas had to pull things out of the closet in order to find the several large barrels of oats and grains. He scooped out a decent portion for the horse and returned to the aisle.

The elf pulled up, slightly startled, as he saw the once empty aisle was now lined with horse heads all staring at him. They had heard the door open and the horses all turned to him hoping that they too would get fed.

"_No_!" The elf sternly called out and all of the horses snorted and grunted as they pulled back into their pens with disappointment.

Legolas hefted the feed bucket over to the stall and pulled the sliding door back to enter Brego's pen. The elf had barely gotten past the threshold before Brego shoved his head to the bucket and began to devour the food with gusto. Legolas was determined to place the feed pail in its proper location in the fixtures driven onto the stall's walls, but the horse would not let up and the elf didn't have the strength to push him back and worry over the small details. Legolas gave up and placed the bucket on the floor as the horse continued to scarf up the food and the prince gave the horse a fond pat to his shoulders. He turned to leave when he noted the water trough was bone dry and the elf frowned. The horse was not lying about being neglected for the day.

The elf lifted the water pail and backtracked to the well pump at the other end of the aisle and filled the water bucket and returned it to the horse's stall. Brego stopped eating only to submerge his muzzle in the ice cold water and guzzled the liquid even with a mouthful of unchewed grains.

"_Slow down _Brego_. You will make yourself sick_!"

But the horse did not heed him and once Brego had taken a fill of water, he returned to the feed at his feet and continued to devour the food.

Legolas set the water bucket on the floor and closed the doors to the stall and did a quick evaluation of the other horses in the area to see if any of them had been slighted in their care, but they looked to have plenty of water and hay and their troughs held a few missed grains at the bottom that the horses could not pick up. It was a relief to know that Brego was the only horse missed in the morning routines, but was still slightly uneasy with the treatment of the most important horse in the barns.

Realizing that there was nothing else that could be done and Brego was now taken care of, Legolas made for the pantry again to get himself set up for a long day's work. He reached for the handle of the door again when Brego picked his head up and, while chewing the oats, let out a huff.

"_I need to get some work done and hope this will provide a quiet place so I can think._" The elf explained to the inquisitive horse. The door opened again to the closet and the elf pondered over the space. He had actually thought the store room would have been far larger, but it looked to be the size of a bedroom closet and held no extra space. The elf closed the door and it made a sound 'click' as he leaned against the door while he thought of a secondary place to sit.

Brego pawed the dirt floor of his stall several times and the elf looked up to the horse.

"_There is no place to sit in there my friend, but thank you for the offer._"

The horse bent his head behind the wall and the elf heard the horse was messing with something in the stall. Legolas made his way over to the enclosure and peeked over the wall to find Brego kicking the feed bucket and tipping it upside down.

"Brego_! Cut it out! I thought you were hungry!_"

But the horse picked his head up allowing the elf to see that the food had already been consumed and there was no need to worry over wasted meals.

The elf snorted. "_You eat like a dwarf who has not seen food in over a day!_"

Legolas pulled the stall door open yet again and stepped inside before he pulled it shut. He saw the steeds idea and actually liked the thought. No one would ever find him in a horse's stall and he kicked the empty food pail to the corner of the stall and took a seat on the sturdy underside of the bucket. He looked about noting that his position nearest the stall door would actually keep him from sight so long as no one leaned over the wall. He let out a slight laugh as he began to feel like an elfling playing hide-and-seek.

But he sobered. It was time to get some work done.

He settled his back in the corner created by the merger of the separation wall of the next stall and the borders of the hallway and pulled the office supplies from his cloak that he had gathered earlier before. He set the inkwell by his feet and propped one leg over the opposite knee to create a wider surface within his lap. He pulled the feathered quill from his pocket and placed the stack of paper on his leg to began the tedious task of planning. He thoroughly wrapped the cloak around him to fight off the chill and once he was satisfied, began to pen documents.

Within an hour he had made good progress and drafted a few notes to various nobles in the area. Once he signed each one, he placed them in a neat stack on the floor while he began to work on another task and started new written items. He began to draw out a crude outlining map of his homelands to help him visualize placements for new houses and buildings that would need to be constructed for the new arriving elves. He went through several sheets of paper as the first couple of pages did not seem to have the right placement nor did the layouts make much sense. Beside him there was a small pile of crumpled and discarded pages, but once he got into the swing of things, some ideas were jotted down and he set the various maps with notes and scribbles in the margins to help him retrace his thinking when he referred to them later.

He took a moment to think over his next task and watched the brown horse pace in his stall. Legolas flicked the quill in his hand mindlessly as he pondered over some ideas when a large shadow descended upon him and the elf coward quickly in surprise.

He felt his hair being picked at then jerked hard and the elf brought his hands up immediately to shoo away the intruder. He looked up and caught a glimpse of tan colored fur and knew it to be the horse in the next stall having a peek and mistook his pale golden locks for fresh hay.

"_Woah woah! Easy there!_" the elf chuckled and ducked lower.

Brego heard the elf speaking and turned to see what the fuss was about but his curiousness turned to defense as he spied an intruder in his stall. He let out a squeal so sharp and loud nearly every horse in the barn jerked and huffed when startled. Brego charged the corner of the stall causing the other horse to frantically pull back. Legolas curled up in the corner of the enclosure to try and get out of the horse's way and covered his head with his arms. He was unsure how far Brego would go and he was not in the ideal spot to be considered safe. However, Brego halted his charge just before the elf and snorted loudly as if he were telling the other horse off and asserted his dominance.

Suddenly a voice called out in the barn and it seemed everyone was taken by surprise as an attendant rushed inside to stop the commotion.

"BREGO! Knock it off!" The stable boy yelled out and he came rushing forward to try and put a stop to the equine territorial skirmish.

Legolas tensed up and pulled himself further into the corner to try and avoid being seen. There was nothing wrong with him being where he was, but it would raise a lot of questions and he did not want to have to go into the odd details on why he was here. Surely people would think him crazy for tending to royal duties in a horse stall.

The stable hand approached the wall and began talking to the stallion which caused Legolas to suppress laughter as the young man, practically still a boy, began to baby talk to the warhorse.

"Hey pretty boy, hey pretty boy. Whatcha' doin' huh? Getting into all kinds of big-boy trouble? Are you showing off again and being the boss?... Yes you are! Yes you are! Why you are just the biggest and baddest horse I have ever seen! Come here you! Come here pretty boy!" The boy began to make a clicking noise with his tongue to encourage the horse to come over, but the magnificent beast held his head up and flattened his ears.

"Oh hey! Come on now, do not be a grumpy gus! Come on little fella! Come here, come here pretty boy!"

The horse began to put the young man to his rear when a few simple magical words were uttered by the boy.

"Do you want a treat?" The horse looked over its haunches at the boy for a moment. He knew those words. He watched the boy place his arms on the wall above the elf, oblivious that the prince was just below him and the horse watched the human intently.

"I have an apple! Would you like some apple, pretty boy?"

Again the horse just stared at the boy until the stable attendant reached into a pocket by his knee and pulled out tart green apple and held it out to the horse on his fingertips.

"Here you go pretty boy! Here you go! You want it?!" The boy said as he shook the fruit back and forth to get the horse's attention. The horse gave in and turned around to face the boy and reached his head out to pluck the fruit up in his mouth, but the boy softly withdrew his hand a little, trying to bring the horse closer.

"That's it pretty boy, come here! I know you have a nasty reputation, but I'm sure you are quite a good boy, huh? Come here!" The cheery voice kept up and the apple was just inches away from where it had been before.

Brego flattened his ears again and Legolas smirked. It was quite humorous to him to listen to the way mortals talked to animals. Normal, even, smooth voices would go high pitched and overzealous with enthusiasm as dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, even goats and pigs were talked to as if they were small babies needing to be cheered up and the people actually thought the words were better understood in the repetitive and somewhat demeaning tones. Watching the proud horse with a reputable attitude endure this treatment only to receive an apple was amusing and the elf worked hard to harness his laughter. He could tell the horse was thoroughly annoyed with being treated this way.

"Come on pretty boy, come here!" The apple was flashed before the horse again and Brego took another step closer to get the treat, but again the stable hand pulled back to try and encourage the horse to draw closer.

"That's it! Come here! Come say hi to me! I feed you, I tend you, I brush you, and yet you keep away as though you hate me huh? Isn't that right? Come here and say hello!"

The fruit was waved again in the horse's' face and Brego cocked his ears contemplating if the harassment was worth the juicy goodness. Tentatively, the horse took another step forward but was on to the game the man was playing. He stood there still as a statue and watched the apple bob about his face.

Legolas could almost see the horse's mind working and he watched the liquid black eye of the horse and saw the bright green apple reflecting in the pupil.

"Come on! Come on!" The man encouraged and the horse pushed his head forward quickly and nipped at the apple. As the horse came forward to take the food, the man reached out with his other hand to try and brush his fingers over the horse's broad forehead, but the stallion retracted his head quickly and successfully dodged the hands that wanted to pet him.

As Brego pulled back, the green apple was plucked out of the man's hands and the horse let out a sharp cry as if it he knew he was victorious in this game and pranced to the back wall where the large teeth made quick work of the apple and Brego inhaled the fruit.

"Ah! Brego! That's not fair! That's not fair at all! All I wanted to do was hi! All I wanted to do was say hello!" The baby talked voice continued, but the horse paid him no mind and he huffed the ground with his large nostrils to find any crumbs of apple that may have fallen to the floor.

"All right! All right! You win! You win again pretty boy! Alright Brego, I have work to do so I'll see you later tonight! You need to keep on your best behavior! Do not be mean to good ol' Daisy over there. You hear me?... Alright Brego... Bye bye!" And the boy pushed himself off from the wall and headed off to take care of whatever chores that needed tending as he continued to chatter to the other horses while he made his way through the barn.

Brego watched the boy leave for a small amount of time before he turned back to the ground to take another sniff, making sure he did not miss any of the apple the first time.

When the boy could be heard no more, Legolas relaxed and sat leisurely in the corner smirking at the warhorse.

"_Pretty Boy_?" The elf laughed in his native language. "_Anything for a treat_, huh?"

The horse just let out a throaty grumble to the elf's comments as he searched about the stall for more food and paced about restlessly.

"_I certainly can see why you have a nasty reputation then. I believe I would be the same way if I was talked to thusly…. Sometimes I just do not get humans._" The elf sighed and watched the horse walk the perimeter of his pen. The horse tracked his path until he came to the seated elf and pushed his muzzle in the elf's lap, smelling the parchment that was spread out over his legs. The horse huffed before he nudged the elf's shoulder.

"_I am still working!_" the elf playfully pushed the horse's head away and Brego stepped to the side.

There was a 'clink' sound as the horse's hoof connected with the small inkwell and Legolas looked to the floor quickly to find the horse had accidently knocked over the phial of black liquid and it was leaking out all over the documents he had worked so hard to create.

"_Ai_!" The elf cried out and grabbed the phial and set it upright to prevent more ink from spilling. He grabbed the clean edges of the parchments and held them up to let the runny mess try and drip off, but the paper was quickly becoming soggy as it absorbed the ink.

"_Oh no_!" The elf huffed as he watched the ink saturate the fibers of the parchment and bled into the words he had composed. The ink was spreading through the rest of the paper and was edging towards his fingers and Legolas dropped the ruined documents to the ground.

"_So much for getting work done_..." the elf sighed as he watched the rest of the documents sit in the pool of ink and became a soggy pulp in the dirt. The horse bent his head to look at the mess and the elf pushed his head away so he would not become smeared with ink.

"_Halt _Brego_. Do not touch it. It will create a huge mess._"

The horse backed up and his ears cocked about slightly as he watched the disgruntled elf.

"_Tis alright _Brego_._" The elf said but even as he spoke, the disappointment was clear in his low voice and Legolas sat back to lean against the wall and watched as the horse resumed pacing. He was discouraged now and honestly did not feel like redoing any of the work but knew the importance of the tasks and tried to drum up the will to start over.

"_Why are you so restless, my friend_?" Legolas finally asked. He watched the way Brego walked back and forth with no determination, yet he was quick to get to one side of the stall then the other. The horse let out a series of low grunts and grumbles as he explained his predicament and the prince tilted his head as the news Brego was telling the elf troubled him.

"_You have been kept in this stall for that long? They haven't let you out at all_?"

The horse pawed the dirt with his hoof again and pushed his nose to the earth before looking over his haunches as if he were longing to be elsewhere.

"_You have not even been let out to graze_?" He knew horses needed green grass like he needed the trees. Apparently all the commotion with the Last Harvest Feast had left everyone with extra work loads and turning the horses out to eat grass had not been done in some time. The strong spirited horse was growing restless despite his large stall and he longed to be outside and run around for a bit and taste the sweet greenery. Though they were provided a portion of hay every day, it was just not the same.

"_I'll have a talk with _Aragorn _when I see him and let him know. Where is your pasture? I can turn you out now if you wish._"

The horse shook his mane and flicked his tail with a quick swish.

"_You have no pasture? Where do you graze? Where do you get to run free_?"

The horse snorted and jerked his head.

"_So anytime you are to be turned out you have to go all the way to the bottom of the palace and to fields below?... And how often do you get to do that? I cannot imagine you making that trek everyday just for grass..._"

He thought about the lack of pastures in the stone city and realized that there were no proper places to turn a horse loose except at the large fields before the kingdom. Arod had always seemed content being here but the prince never really thought about his own horse's comfort when visiting, expecting his steed would get the same expert care as all the other horses. But little did he know the care, even the royal horses were given, was lacking in what equines needed most. He never had reason to question where the grazing flats were kept and Arod never mentioned anything so he assumed the palace operated a barn in what seemed to be standard protocol. Legolas thought about what the horse said and realized the layered stone city had no true fields close to palace and the only time he himself had seen grass here was in a small courtyard or on the towering cliff.

The horse lifted his head and perked his ears at the elf.

Legolas stiffened at the horse's' request. "_I… I don't know _Brego…_. I cannot just take you from the barn and turn you lose… Besides, how would you get back_?"

The horse stepped forward and pressed his flat forehead against the elf's chest.

"_I cannot go with you _Brego_._"

The horse nickered in what could only be described as a glum rumble then backed up to watch the elf.

Legolas ran a hand through his loose blond hair and scratched his scalp lightly. He could feel the need the horse had to be free, for the elf felt the same way. Being caged and locked up when one only wanted freedom and space darkened his spirits. How could he say no?

Legolas turned his eyes to the horse and seriously contemplated the request.

He could get a much needed break from this place. Out there, there was no need to worry about finding a vacant space. The open plains would be a risky move since they would be seen by the whole city, but they could stick close to mountains and take cover among the trees and Brego could graze on the grass that grew along the edges of the forest. The open plains and forests by the mountains would be wonderful to take some time in. Though the trees were asleep, he could connect with the nature around him in much the same way he did last night. Besides, they would only be gone for a few hours. Legolas had already slipped past everyone and resolved himself to a quiet day alone, what did it matter if he was hiding in unusual places like horse stalls or on the move outside of the city?

Legolas put the cap back on the ink phial and ran the end of the quill on a discarded scrap of paper to clean it off. He carefully rolled the blank parchments up and tucked them in a pocket to hold on to them and stood to his feet and regarded the horse.

"_Alright _Brego_, I'll take you out. But we cannot stay for very long. If I give you the freedoms you seek, can you promise we will leave when we need to_?"

The horse fairly pranced in place with excitement as he bobbed his head up and down eagerly.

"_Alright. I do not mean to give you a chore, but you are going to have to carry me. To be truthful, I do not think I could make it to the bottom of the plains under my own power._"

The horse understood completely and showed his willingness to carry the lightweight prince by kneeling in the stall, offering an easy vault onto his back.

Legolas turned to the stall door and rolled it open before he straddled the horse. When Brego felt the elf to be in place, he pushed himself to his feet and waited as the elf settled more comfortably before he walked carefully to the stall door and ventured into the aisle.

Legolas guided Brego to the back door of the barn and pushed it open for the both of them and they headed off in the direction of the palace gates to make for the city.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

* * *

Brego's hooves clicked loudly as the elf and horse cautiously made their way toward the palace gates that would lead them into the human city of Minas Tirith. They pulled up at every corner and turn, intently watching and listening to the approach of any soul that might hinder their breakaway. All the sneaking about gave the pair an odd rush of excited apprehension with worry woven throughout as they had successfully slipped past folks completely unaware thus far.

They continued down the last street before they would reach the grand palace gates and Legolas pulled the hood of his thick cloak up and over his head. He was trying his best to conceal himself from any passersby so they could make a clean getaway. As he tucked his long loose hair under the hem of the cloak, they arrived at the huge towering doors. The old wooden gates were open for the day and were pressed flush against the stone walls to make more room in the streets. The once richly dark wood had been bleached by years of harsh sunlight and other weathering effects and the ashen colored wood nearly matched the white stone of the city and looked to melt into the walls**.**

People were coming and going through the palace gates and the elf leaned back on the tackless horse, asking Brego to stop for a second as he surveyed the area from a distance. The guards that were at their posts seemed to be a bit lax with the traffic and if he could time their departure just right, they could slip by without much notice.

Legolas leaned over Brego's neck to come closer to his ears while he spoke.

"_Alright _Brego_. Make for the gate, but proceed with caution._"

Brego snorted. He did not understand why they had to sneak about.

"_Because _Brego_, _Aragorn _still thinks me to be in my rooms. If he finds out I have not only left my rooms, let alone the palace *and* city, I will have to answer to that when I get back and I would rather not deal with it. Besides, you are his horse and I do not exactly have permission to take you out of here. I know _Aragorn _would understand your predicament, but I do not want to be held up by the guards while they try and get validation that you are to be taken out, for there is none._"

The horse settled and began to walk over to the gate and followed the passing people. Legolas kept his sights down and stooped over, allowing the cloak to cover him and camouflage his regal posture. He avoided all eye contact with the guards and he held his breath as the slow moving train of people crept past the gatekeepers. Finally, after what seemed to take forever, they set foot into the city.

They remained in line for a few paces, but when they were sure the guards were no longer watching and they were safe from a quick discovery, Legolas gave the brown stallion a squeeze with his legs, asking Brego to pick up the pace and break away from the sluggish procession.

The elf and horse wove about the busy streets as they made their way to the ramps of the lower levels of the city. The townspeople were in the mits their daily routines and seemed to be frenzied. The alleys and roadways were over packed as folk made up for lost time due to the holiday that took place the night before. Merchants were selling their goods while women swept the cobblestone streets in front of their shops or homes. Through the windows of the high rise buildings, rugs were being shaken out and washed laundry was being hung out to dry as best as it could before the later logged material froze. Some items had already frozen stiff and they swung heavily in the breeze.

They traveled for some time, but the scenery did not change much and the weary elf had a hard time keeping his bearings. Every street began to blend into one, long, passageway and at times, Legolas had to take a good hard look at the landmarks that somehow seemed familiar, yet were disconfigured in his over taxed mind. At the moment, he could not tell where they were. He noted an upcoming street corner and the swinging plank sign that was hung up into the alley over everyone's head. Pictured on the sign was a pig in a hat holding a mug of mead and the elf realized the location of the well known tavern. That would mean they were still placed within the city's first layer. He thought they were well past this area, but the milestone before them clearly spoke the truth as to their whereabouts. The elf passed a hand over his face, trying to rub the exhaustion from his mind.

He was beginning to think this was not such a great idea.

Legolas let out a tired sigh and he placed his hands on the horse's withers as he leaned forward slightly. He felt his hands begin to throb once they came in contact with the heat emanating from the animal beneath him and suddenly realized for the first time how cold he had become. His drained state seemed to come alive briefly as his own self disgust thundered through him. Legolas jerked his cloak tighter around himself and let out a slight growl.

This was becoming ridiculous.

Once snugly wrapped up, he placed his palms back on the horse to feel the heat seep into his freezing fingers. The gentle rocking of the horse's gate was calming and repetitive and he began to let his frustrations dissolve as he began to warm up. He found that he needed to fight himself to remain awake and he let out a soft yawn. Once he gained his composure again, he pushed himself to sit upright and forced his fallen eyelids to open.

Brego was well tuned to the elf and heard the subtle sigh come from the light creature he carried. Legolas was not his usual lively self and the steed could easily feel the hint of a connection as the elf opened up and tried to tap into a tidbit of the horse's strength to remain awake. There was an unexplainable trust between elf and horse and it seemed to be more instinct than thought as all animals loved and trusted the elves and the elves had equal respect of all life. The horse did not begrudge the prince any strength and kept himself open to the elf.

Brego lifted his head to give a few soft mumbles as he spoke to the wood-elf. He knew the way to the plains and could offer the elf a chance to rest and relax as they made their way down the bustling streets. It didn't take long for the elf to relinquish the navigation and soon, Legolas was nearly a limp mess on the horse as he rocked upon Brego's back. His head began to hang and he fixed his sights to his hands and watched the rhythmic moving of the horse's shoulder blades with each step forward. The shaggy mane was bent over to one side and the loose hair brushed over the back of his hand, but he could not feel it. He frowned as he realized the frigid air had left his hands numb.

The afternoon sun flashed about as thick clouds were beginning to roll in and played with the sunshine in irregular patterns. There was a break in the clouds and the the bright light reflected the red and golden luster found in the cuticles of hair that formed the horse's coarse mane.

Legolas watched the brilliance for a time, not really caring that the streets were passing him by nor did he make any attempt to keep track of time. He closed his eyes for a moment when the sun burst through with unhindered intensity and the rays landed about him. He could feel the heat beating down upon his back and shoulders before another passing cloud began to dim the light and the sensation faded.

He shivered.

He crossed his arms quickly under the cloak and sat up giving his head a slight shake as if he could shake off the fatigue that plagued him.

Finally, they came to a ramp and Brego began his descent to the lower level. The horse's hooves skidded and slipped occasionally as the metal in his horseshoes did not provide adequate traction against the unforgiving stone. From time to time, Brego would have to jolt fast to keep his balance and Legolas would jerk suddenly as he nearly fell off.

Their descent in the city took close to an hour and they had made their way through several layers in that span of time. They had just traversed down the last ramp to the ground level ring of the city and as the last ramp finally evened out, they turned to begin walking an easy path through the open streets. It would not be long before the elf and horse would be by Gondor's soldier barracks and the area was beginning to show signs that they were fast approaching. Groups of men were walking together as they conversed and laughed while others were sitting on the stoops of their billets or having a leisurely stroll about as they made their rounds between several of the buildings.

As the elf and horse walked past, a few soldiers nodded in silent greeting, but otherwise, they were hardly looked over. Yet something began to tug at the elf's mind and he tensed. Legolas suddenly didn't feel comfortable and he shifted upon Brego's back as he tried to figure out why he was suddenly so alert.

He felt like he was being watched closely and he chanced a quick glance behind him to see who was following them and why. He brought a hand to the hem of his hood and held it back slightly to see better, but what he saw behind him only caused him to worry more.

No one was following them and all of the soldiers who they passed were going about their business as though the elf and horse were meant to be among them. The unseen stalker was most likely all in his head, but he was not totally convinced as he could not shake the sneaky feeling that someone was lurking about, waiting for him, and he elf gulped.

Legolas turned quickly to face forward and pulled the hood of his cloak further over his head. His heart lurched in his chest. Something did not feel right. From the shadows of his hood, he watched every man intently. A few more men gave casual waves to the passersby and the elf looked away quickly. He could feel his hands began to tremble with unknown fear and the feeling that someone was closing in on him only intensified. Again, he looked over his shoulder and only saw the people in the streets on whatever errand they had and the soldiers moved about carelessly in the wake of their passing.

Brego pulled up quickly as a cart was moving from one side of the street to another. A soldier had stepped in their path, holding up his hands to halt the traffic so no one would get hurt or become a hindrance.

The elf began to panic after they stopped and he spun around quickly to see what the holdup was.

"_Why are we stopping_?" He asked and Brego perked his ears to the passing cart, directing his attention so the elf could follow. Legolas applied pressure with one leg trying to steer the horse around the cart, but the man holding up traffic stepped up to him.

"Halt! We are moving some large items. We will get you on your way soon enough."

Legolas turned his full attention to the man holding his hand up. The soldier dropped his palm to his side and the familiar uniform stood out and the identifying mark of his realm was proudly worn.

Blatant terror overtook the prince and he paled as his sights were captivated on the intimidating symbol.

"No! I need to go now!" The elf's voice was desperate as he argued with the man.

"Alright sir. Give us just a-"

But the elf would not listen. There was plenty of space between the other end of the street and the back of the wagon. He kicked Brego hard to get him to lung forward into quick canter to breakaway.

"Stop! Hey! YOU!" The soldier shouted, but the angry words only spurred the elf on. With a fluttering flick of the loose material found in the thick cloak, the elf successfully maneuvered around the cart. He crouched over the horse and gripped his mane as he urged Brego to continue on.

At the alarm in their comrade's voice, the soldiers began to take notice of the fleeing figure and were unsure what to do. Do they give chase for disobeying a soldier? Or do they let them pass?

It seemed the streets were split in their decisions and some men got out of the way while others made attempts to stop them.

Legolas could not think rationally any longer and the men that were trying to stop him only fueled his terror. He wished the horse could move faster, but Brego was doing the best he could in the city's streets. The stallion wove between groups of people and other obstacles in their path, never breaking stride. Despite the pace, Legolas could feel the men closing in on him and knew they needed a new plan of action. Rather than run along the now well tuned streets, Legolas spotted a side street and guided the cantering horse down the nearly vacant road to get away from the masses.

Men were giving chase on foot from all directions, but the elf was determined not to end up in their custody.

"Hey! Stop them!" one of the guards yelled. As the elf and horse cantered down the alley and made for people's homes and more shops, a few brave citizens heard the calls and began to work quickly to stop the fleeing form.

Two men were carrying a rather wide and long board to do some repair work of a building and heard the shouts coming from the soldiers. They peered down the road and saw the horse barreling towards them with the well respected soldiers actively pursuing. With quick thinking, the men placed the wide board on its edge and propped it up against the walls of buildings to create a crude fence that effectively blocked the street. Brego began to falter in his steps as he wanted to stop, but the elf dug his heels into the horse's side and urged him forward.

"_Jump it Brego_!" the elf demanded with terrorized words. The horse felt the panic in the elf and it gave him cause to worry. The steed began to feel the same desperation to get out of the area that was brought on by the unease of his rider. Rather than slow down, the horse jumped into a gallop and charged forward. The people who had seen the fugitives running suddenly scattered. They realized the horse was not going to stop. Brego let out a roar as he picked his front hooves off the ground and leapt over the obstacle.

He landed on the other side, but it was far from graceful and the noble horse lost his footing on the slippery rock.

The sudden alteration of the horse's stance dislodged the prince and despite his determination to remain on the horse, his body continued with the original momentum and was flung from Brego's back. He hit the stone street hard and slid across the gritty rock for a number of yards.

The moment Legolas was thrown from the horse, Brego's hind legs gave out and the mighty animal skidded. The steed thrashed about as he tried to gain his footing on the slick floor, but to no avail. The panicked horse could not find true purchase and the animal let out a shriek in terror. His own frantic movements pulled the horse down while his hooves flailed about, trying to get up.

As soon as Legolas' momentum stopped, he came to halt on his stomach at the other side of the street. His cloak was a tangled mess about his face and he sprang to his feet while he battled the cloak in his face. When the thick materials fell from his head, he saw he was being surrounded by the good samaritans who were determined to help their soldiers catch the fugitives.

Only Legolas did not see townsfolk. His captors were closing in on him and he desperately reached over his shoulder for his white handled knives. He would fight every last one to keep from being captured. His eyes were darting about, calculating his moves for a quick and easy dispatch of his pursuers so he could flee.

His hand met air and he grasped about frantically for his weapons that were always at his back. However, it just now hit him; He had come away without weapons and was defenseless. He took a step back and bumped into a brick wall that composed a building and the ring of people around the elf followed.

He was trapped.

Legolas had to change tactics and his sights were now desperately trying to find a way to get out. Above his head, another sign for who knows what was hanging and the elf vaulted up and grabbed the pole that suspended the plank. The people below closed in fast to grab him, but the nimble elf swung his legs back then forward. He let go and flew over a few people. He effectively landed on the ground in a crouch to absorb the impact then got up just as he spotted a wooden barrel. He sprang upon it then leapt up to an awning over a storefront and he paused for a fraction of a second to take in the bird's eye view of the area. Brego had just risen to his feet and he frantically trotted down the street, unsure what to do or where to go. However, the horse was unhindered in his movements as everyone was after the rider, not the horse.

Legolas spotted an empty patch of ground some distance off and he gathered all of his strength and leapt. Again, he dropped to a crouch to prevent any injury and he batted the cloak away as it threatened to fall over his face. In a split second, He got to his feet and darted towards the horse.

His forward motion was checked as several people rushed him. They gripped the cloak that was about his shoulders and gave him a powerful yank back. The pull on his neck lasted only briefly and Legolas thought quickly. He ripped the pin away from his neck, breaking the fastening latch and allowing the cloak to drop away along with the greenleaf brooch. He did not give any pause and pushed forward.

The townspeople were pursuing him. They were now joined by the soldiers who were trying to bring him down from the very start. The elf spotted a few barrels by the curb of the street and he gripped the edges of them as he passed, giving them a slight push. He needed to create an obstacle to slow his pursuers down.

What he did not realize was the barrels were waiting to be picked up to be transported to storage facilities and were filled with dried beans. What he had hoped was going to be a small distraction ended up tripping up all of the rushing people as they skidded, slid, fell and crashed into one another when they stepped on the hard legumes in the stone streets. All attempts to halt the pursuer were stopped as the people were now concerned about the safety and well being of each other. The guards picked themselves up quickly, but there was no sign of the elf and horse as they had disappeared among the streets.

Legolas turned down another side street and slowed his pace as he entered less frantic quarters. He did not want to cause any alarm and he began to walk while he gained his breath. After turning down a few narrow rows and side streets, he heard the rapid clapping of horse hooves and the elf looked up to find Brego aimlessly moving about trying to figure out what just happened and what to do.

"Brego! _Over here!_" Legolas called out. The horse perked his head at the familiar voice and he stepped up to the elf, but Legolas tore himself away from the place. He began to run for the kingdom's gates that were not too far from their location.

"_Come on_ Brego!"

As he ran, the elf took a look at the horse following behind and watched with worry for a second. He had felt how hard the horse hit the stone streets and prayed that Brego did not get hurt. The steed seemed to be walking alright, but once they were in a secure area, he would have to check the horse to make sure he obtained no serious injuries. He would not dare ride Brego after that fiasco for fear that the horse was hurt and he did not want to add any strain to him.

Legolas looked back to his path and stumbled on the uneven cobblestone. As he fell, he caught himself on his fingertips and pushed up to keep himself moving. He could feel his adrenaline leaving his body and with it his stamina and strength begin to drain, leaving him shaky and clumsy. He had little strength to begin with and after expending a great deal of energy in getting away, his body was beginning to protest.

Brego saw the way the elf fell and he picked up his pace. He knew the elf was in trouble. The horse hung his head low and pushed it between the prince's legs before swinging it up quickly and pulling the prince into the air. The elf slid down the animal's sturdy neck and came to rest at the shoulders and Brego took off for the gates in a canter.

They turned down the last street and did not break stride until they saw the massive opening in the thick defensive walls of the palace. Their gait slowed to a trot due to the traffic, but they cut their own hasty path through the crowd. The people moved about and quickly got out of the way as the two made it for the gates. Word of them had not reached the opening yet and the elf and horse passed quickly then ran for the forests near the White Mountains.


	29. Chapter 29

_**Again, any dialogue that is italicized is meant to be in elvish.**_

* * *

Chapter 29

* * *

Legolas and Brego made for the White Mountains with breakneck speed. They did not know if they were being pursued, but the pair did not dare waste any time in looking back to see if they were being followed. The tree line was not far off as the city was built into the mountains where the forests grew and after a short ride, the two made it into the coverage of thick forests.

But they did not stop there. The palace walls were only several hundred yards away from them and it felt too close for comfort. The horse maintained his gait and ran through the untrailed forest for a time, jumping over fallen logs and weaving between trees and dense thickets.

After they had put a great deal of distance between themselves and the city, Brego began to let his pace slacken while he trotted through the leafy ground. They picked their own path through the woods that edged the planes of Gondor and it was not long before they came to an outcropping of mountains that were pushed further forward than the rest of the range. The elf and horse followed the crested base of the mountain and halted their travels at the furthest point.

Legolas listened intently to the sounds of the forests, trying to see if anyone was following them, but they proved to be making the only sounds as the horse's four legs pushed through the thick leaf litter that strayed from the edge of the forest. Added to the crinkling of leaves were the erratic pants from both elf and horse after the exertion they had forced upon themselves.

Legolas looked over the landscape and focused on the city that now felt to be a comfortable distance off. A few miles had been placed between themselves and Minas Tirith, but his keen eyes could see a small group of men mounted on horseback leaving the palace walls to begin searching the immediate area. He tensed as he guessed these men were soldiers trying to pick up their trail, but when the elf felt as though he needed to encourage Brego to move on, the soldiers turned and ventured back behind the white stone walls. The fugitive was not worth their time since his only crime was failing to obey an officer and after investigating the immediate area before them, they called off the chase.

Legolas let out a heavy breath in relief before continuing his labored breathing from before. He felt as though he could not get enough oxygen into his lungs.

Presently, Brego stomped a forehoof into the ground and he seemed agitated. He threw his head about while he let out a sharp cry, demanding what was going on. He did not know why they had to run, for he saw no danger, but the unease of his rider threw his own perceptions off and could not for the life of him figure out why they were so frantic to get out of the palace.

Legolas let out another sigh, this time with a heaviness that spoke of much inner turmoil.

"_I am so sorry_ Brego." the elf whispered. He could not believe he had lost his self control yet again and now another being had to suffer through his issues. He was still worried that Brego had been injured during their flight, but the horse seemed to be running fine and Legolas was a little too desperate to get out of there as fast as he could to stop and check on the horse.

Legolas swung his leg over to slip off of the horse's back, but he was left weaker than he once was and crumpled to the ground when his legs refused to hold him. He drew his knees to himself and held on to them as a tingling sensation rippled through his body. He rested his head against his knees, trying to fight the sudden light headedness and extremely drained feeling that swamped him. His vision began to cloud and he closed his eyes while concentrating solely on breathing. He could feel the beginnings of a wavering consciousness and did not want to pass out here where he was so vulnerable.

His body was beginning to betray him and he knew he was in trouble. This was the dumbest idea and he mentally kicked himself for not thinking this all the way through. He knew his limits, and knew he had been reaching them long ago and yet he pushed himself to venture out here.

Memories had been surfacing more and more frequently and he further berated himself with this poor choice. Hadn't he learned yet? Was last night not enough to tell him he was not stable? His trigger seemed to be the Gondorian tunic, but why he did not connect the city he was in, to being filled with that symbol was beyond him and now a peaceful day out in the woods was nothing but terror and stress.

He should have known better.

Brego turned to the elf and nudged his shoulder while he let out a quiet knicker. The steed almost sounded pleased with himself, but the elf only shook his head at the horse's comment.

"_Getting *out* of the city was not the hard part _Brego." Legolas mumbled and the horse went still as the elf continued. "_I have placed us in a terrible situation…._ uuhh!" the elf moaned with frustration. "_The whole city is probably on high alert for us now and the moment we show back up, we..._"

The elf's voice halted suddenly while the prince went very still. His heart began to race so hard and fast he thought it would pound out of his chest. He clutched his breast at the ache beginning to build with the strenuous beat. He began to tremble as a new panicked sensation overcame him and it filled him with dread. The reality of the situation suddenly dawned on him.

"We will be locked up!" He gasped in common tongue. "They will chain me up and lock me away!"

Dull burning sensations began to flood the elf's wrists and he gripped them one at a time, twisting them in his palms to rub away the rough feeling of tight rope restraints at the thought of having soldiers place cuffs about his limbs.

His breathing hitched several times as he gulped for air and as the minutes dragged on, he found he suddenly could not breathe all together. He gasped for breath around some unknown constricting hindrance and Legolas' fears began to spiral out of control. The last time he had this much trouble breathing, it was due to a tight metal collar and the claustrophobia of being tightly bound in a dark shack. The elf clawed at his neck to try and remove the metal choker he thought to be wearing, but his fingers could not grasp anything which only fueled his distress. Everything was in his head and he did not know how to fight against his own mind. His eyes went wide with terror as he did not know what was happening to him and he suddenly began to fear for his life.

"I cannot breathe!" the elf choked out and his chest heaved rapidly and shallowly as a full fledged panic attack engulfed the elf. It felt as though iron bands had been wrapped around his rib cage and were squeezing him while his ragged and hyperventilated breathing continued. Hazy yellow spots were beginning to dance within his vision as a foggy darkness began to set in.

He did not want to be constrained in the dark and he began to scoot back to a secure location, but he seemed to have very little control over his trembling limbs and could not move more than a few feet. He gave up in relocating and continued the growing battle of breathing. He began to search the area with his compromised vision, but he was still coherent enough to understand they were in the middle of nowhere and any and all safety had been left in Minas Tirith.

He began to feel like a sitting duck and his terrorized mind began to play tricks on him. Paranoia entered his mind and he thought he was being watched by countless men hiding the woods, waiting for just the right moment to spring upon him and take him captive.

His gasping increased.

"Brego! I… I… Something is…. happening! They are here!... They will take us! We… I… need to… go!" he managed to get out between gasping fits, but his train of thought was slowly ebbing away as his world began to spin. His rationality finally caved and he desperately called out for help.

"Stri-der!" he called out for the one person who had been there for him more times than he could count when things turned from bad to worse as the ranger and elf had a long history of getting caught in disastrous and dangerous situations. His delusional mind told him his friend could hear him and he called out again as his choking breaths were beginning to feel like he was breathing under water.

"Strid-er!" But the man did not come... The man would never come. "Please!..."

Brego cocked his ears as if uncertain what to do. He took a hesitant step to the prince and tentatively brushed his muzzle over the elf's shuddering shoulder. The second the animal came into contact with the elf, the terror and panic emanating through the fair being was transmitted to the horse and Brego leapt back with a shriek. The mighty warhorse frantically looked about at their surroundings to try and find what had brought about this unknown fear. He directed his attention to the woods behind him to try and get a glimpse of danger. However, there was nothing around them to pose any threats and the horse was beyond confused.

There was a soft thud behind the horse before all went quiet.

Brego looked back to the elf who was now lying flat on his back upon the ground, completely unmoving. Brego walked back to Legolas and studied the prone form on the ground carefully. His breathing was returning to normal, but was unresponsive to the soft calls the horse gave off and the steed nudged the unconscious elf to rouse him.

Legolas' body rolled limply to his side and Brego gave another shove with his broad nose, pushing the elf to his stomach. When the elf failed to move after that, the horse's fears began to heighten. Again, the animal looked about their surroundings for any indication that danger was near. The fact that he could not tell that anything was close began to make the horse more uneasy.

The horse huffed over the elf's form, trying to detect the source of this sudden change. He could not smell any blood, letting the horse know the prince was not mortally wounded as far as he could tell, and the horse could feel the elf's life force still coursing through the unmoving body. His limited understanding told him the elf was still alive, but what was ailing the prince remained unseen.

Brego took up a defensive position and stepped over the prince to offer protection like a mother elk would do with her calf against a pack of wolves. He was on high alert as he stood over the elf and even the rustling of dried leaves scattering about the forest floor caused the horse to become edgy.

Some moments passed until the prince finally began to stir and the horse immediately bent over to check for himself that the elf was waking up. He pawed the ground at the elf's side, as if trying to encourage the elf to get up and he resumed nudging the elf with his nose to bring the prince all the way back.

Legolas let out a soft confused moan as he blinked his world back into focus. He instantly became aware of a violent headache which was not helped in any way by the horse pushing him around. Legolas carefully picked his head up and saw the horse bringing his nose towards his face and the elf reached his fingers out to the velvety muzzle to halt the horse's movements.

"Bre-go?" the elf questioned hesitantly. The horse responded with a few quiet calls, letting the prince know he was only too happy to find the elf to be alright.

Legolas began to recall what happened and he carefully rolled over and pushed himself to a sitting position. He held his head in his palms as the throbbing continued and he massaged his temples lightly to try and alleviate some of the pounding pressure.

Brego was still uneasy. The warhorse pushed his large head to the elf's chest trying to get a piece of comforting reassurance from his rider. The prince lightly wrapped his arms around the animal's face, holding Brego to try and calm him while seeking the same from the horse. Brego let out a soft grumble as he huffed the elf, doing another check to make sure the prince was alright.

"_I… I do not know what happened _Brego_..._" the elf stated as he took a deep breath to calm the shaking that was beginning to set in from the stress. His chest began to burn with a tired ache caused by the strain of his gasping. Legolas slowly let the air out of his lungs as he rested his full weight against the horse's sturdy head.

He was exhausted.

"_We need to go back _Brego_._" the elf mumbled but had no desire or will to try and enforce this decision. He knew he should not have come out here and now he had to get back and answer to the chaos he had caused.

He swallowed hard at the thought.

Presently, Brego pulled back and looked over the plains with disappointment rolling off the horse's posture. He was so close to getting a chance to be out here for awhile and now they had to head back in before he could even take a mouthful of green grass.

"_I know _Brego_. I am so sorry to drag you out here and not even give you what you sought, but I have made a poor decision._" The elf let out another deep breath and he resumed holding his head when his anxieties began to build once more. "_Besides, I have put us at risk by bringing us out here without weapons…_"

The horse was going to have none of it. He walked a few paces away from the sitting elf and began to nip at the green grass vigorously to try and take in as much of the sweet blades as possible. Legolas raised his eyes to the horse and watched with a heavy heart. He knew the horse needed to be out here for a while and he promised the horse some free time, but Legolas knew deep down that he himself needed to be back.

The elf reminded sitting on the frigid ground to give the horse as much time as possible out here, but he began to shiver as the cold worked its way into his body. He knew the time to head back was now. He stood slowly to his feet and held his arms out for added balance until he could gain the steadiness to walk and made his way over to the horse.

Brego took a few steps further away as the elf approached, all the while stuffing his already full mouth with more grass.

"Brego, _I am sorry but we need to head back._"

The horse huffed and as the elf took another step towards the horse, the horse took another step away.

"Brego!" The elf called out with a quick sternness to demonstrate his displeasure.

The horse looked over his haunches at the elf while his jaw worked away in chewing the grass to make room for more. He responded to the elf quietly and Legolas placed his hands on his hips while a startled realization began to enter his mind. The horse did not want to leave, and he would not leave now.

"Brego! _I told you we could come out here but when we needed to leave, we could not waste any time!_"

The horse took a step away while he flicked his tail as if to shoo the elf away and dismiss him.

"_We *do* need to leave now!_" the elf argued back. He was nearly shouting, but he worked hard to calm himself. He could feel his heart began to pound again at his extreme unease and his breathing was becoming faster. If the horse would not comply then there was no way he could leave.

He was trapped.

"Brego, _please I am begging you. I want to go back - I need to go back._" the elf stalked to the horse to try and round him up, but Brego dodged the elf yet again and trotted a few paces away.

Legolas clenched his jaw as he could feel his ire begin to rise.

"BREGO!" His breathing was hitching again and he looked about uncertainly.

It was then that horse could detect a change in the elf and he moseyed over to the fair creature. Yet, rather than give into his wishes, the brown steed reached his head to the elf and nipped the hem of his long green tunic as the horse continued towards the tree line.

Legolas stumbled and fought with the strong animal while the horse practically dragged the elf away. He was lead a small ways into the forest and was brought to the base of a large oak tree. There, the horse quickly let go of the prince's clothing and pushed his head between the elf's legs, pulling him up into the air on his mighty head. The elf called out in surprise as the horse picked him up, and in a fluid and effortless motion, Brego reared onto his hind legs to give him enough height to reach the lowest branches of the large tree. He rubbed his head against the branch, transferring the weight of the stunned elf onto the tree branch, then fell back to all fours and began to walk off. Legolas stood quickly upon the branch as he shouted at the stubborn horse from the heights of the tree.

"_Hey! What are you- _Brego_! Where are you going?! Come back here!_"

Legolas was about to jump off of the branch to make the fifteen foot drop when the horse stopped his movements. With a sharp cry the horse locked eyes with the treed elf and made his point.

Legolas was never one to be told what to do and he balled his fists in frustration as Brego made his demands clear. Brego was steadfast that he would not go back until he had his fill of freedoms and the horse offered the uneasy elf the best sorts of protection his equine-mind could come up with. Being in the branches of a tree would offer Legolas the safe security he sought and that left Brego free to graze in the fields unattended. The veteran warhorse assumed all responsibility should an attack occur, but his animal instincts told him he had nothing to worry about. The woods were clear despite what the elf feared and there were still a few good hours of daylight that would allow the horse to have his time outside before they truly had to leave. He would not let anyone take this small easy pleasure away from him. Aragorn had been a good master, in fact the best he had ever had, but there were things in this world worth fighting for. A few hours of freedom was definitely worth a fight and he would have done this to anyone, including the king.

Legolas dropped to a seat on the thick lower tree branch with exacerbation. He understood the horse's demands but that didn't make it any easier for him as a sense of betrayal washed over him. He had left the safety of the palace walls with the promise of being able to leave when they needed to, but that promise was not being fulfilled as he expected it to.

Yet he was not exactly keeping his promise either. The only reason he left the city in the first place was to allow Brego to run free for awhile. However, the moment they set foot in the green plans, he had been the one to back out and wanted to return.

Legolas watched the horse walk to the outskirts of the forest and resumed grazing. It was a strange thing now that he found himself on the outside of the White City. He had wanted for so long to escape the bleak stone walls and find solitude to allow himself the opportunity to sort his problems out. But now that he had gained what he had been wishing for so long, he only wanted to return. With another sigh, the elf scooted back to the tree trunk to settle down for a few hours.

Perhaps he was over reacting.

He shivered again. The frosty air sapped his body heat and the elf wrapped his arms around his stomach before pulling his knees to his chest. He leaned into them to try and trap what little warmth he could.

There was a prick of pain in his torso and the elf frowned when he felt it. He sat up and reached into his tunic, forgetting that he had placed the office supplies in his pocket. He pulled out creased blank parchments. Next, he removed and a bent, frayed feathered-quill which ceased the poking. The fragile items did not make it out of the hectic escape unscathed and the elf scowled at their disheveled appearance. Now he could not even get any work done. He dug deeper in his pocket to locate the inkwell and there was a brief moment of dread, thinking he would find the small vile broken or uncorked. He sighed in relief when the container was intact and the ink was still capped.

He set the items on the branch before him then resumed his warmth-saving posture. He rested his chin on his knees and watched as the horse ventured further out into the field to get to longer grass.

"_Do not go too far _Brego_!_" the prince called out and at the sound of the demanding voice, the horse dropped his head where he was and picked at the grass. Legolas continued to watch the horse for a time letting his mind go blank before the cold cut through his senses again and he shuddered. His eyes drifted to the sky and noted that the sun was now hiding behind a thick cover of grey. The passing clouds had turned to a thick blanket of dreary cold and there were no holes in the cloud cover. It was an oddly dense cloud cover but did not look like typical rain clouds.

The elf let out another sigh. He hoped it would not rain. He knew that would only make his already dangerous daytrip turn to a nightmare.

He turned his sights to the city again and watched its never changing image for a time. How would he explain all this to Aragorn? There was no chance of him getting back to the palace without being apprehended and when he was, he wondered how long it would take for them to present his case to anyone. People would certainly think him to be loony if he claimed to be the Lord of Ithilien and currently he had nothing on his person to validate that claim. And if that were the case, he wondered if he would ever be able to get out.

Would he even be given a trial? Or would they throw him in a cell? And for how long? Or where?

He took a ragged breath at that thought. He did not want to go to the dark, underground dungeons of Minas Tirith. Any amount of time stuck in there would not do him any good, and in his current state, he knew he would not survive.

The elf took a slow deep breath.

Why did he need to survive? If he did not, would he not end up… home? That is where he wanted to be all along, wasn't it?

The elf shook his head quickly as if his own thoughts startled him. He needed a distraction.

Legolas reached for the folded parchments and uncurled them. He ran his fingers over the creases to try and smooth a majority of the wrinkles out of the stiff materials and pushed himself to get to work. This would not make a neat presentation, but he could at least scribble some notes and get all the details onto paper yet again then could rewrite everything at a later time.

He attempted to grip the quill, but found his hands would not work properly and his cold fingers could not feel the light feather well enough to hold it. He flexed his stiff fingers a few times to try and pump blood into them, but it seemed to have little effect. He vaguely recalled Aragorn and Gimli being cold on any number of adventures that they had been on and there were times when the ranger would curl his fingers into a fist and huff into them, claiming it helped warm them up. The elf never had reason to do this himself until now and he tried it. He was surprised to find the warmth of his breath tingle the frigid fingers and he sat for a moment breathing on his hands to chase away the cold.

Soon, the elf began the tedious task of writing out letters once again, but as his hand moved along the pages with the broken quill in his fingers, his mind wandered off and went elsewhere.

The tan color of the pages he was writing on looked so much like the color of sand and the parchment had a particular texture of roughness despite the smooth surface.

He could recall the way the sand looked from his vision last night and the vivid clarity of the scene came back to him as he replayed the events in his mind. The waves were rough with tremendous energy. The gulls were an amazing sight. The scurrying spider-creatures in the sand fascinated him, and the smells were unique, unlike anything he had ever experienced before.

He wondered if that was what the ocean truly looked like. He could not imagine it to be any different, but he had never seen a beach before and the intense brilliant vision looked and felt far too real.

How could it be any different?

And what would sailing be like?

His mind drifted over the possibilities and expectations of that would be like as well. Legends and rumors had said that there is vast expanse of nothingness out in the middle of the ocean; just the sky and the sea. But he had never seen anything remotely close to that. Any sight he had been able to witness, there were mountains in the background, or fantastic forests that began or stopped as the landscapes changed to rolling plains, craggy peaks, ribbons of rivers and all of that was held under an ever changing sky. How could you be able to look in all directions and see absolutely nothing?

It must be a dazzling sight to behold.

It must be even better to then see the western shores appear on the horizon….

The elf was pulled from his thoughts as a prickling sensation began on the tip of his nose. He rubbed it quickly and felt a slight drop of moisture and he swiped it away, but as he did so something in the air caught his attention. A beautiful speck of crystallized white drifted past his face and landed on the parchments he had been writing on.

The snowflake gently rested on the page for a moment and the elf studied its unique flower-pointed shape before the tiny ice crystal began to melt. In a blink of an eye, the fine shape disappeared and became a beaded droplet of water that rested on the paper before the parchment absorbed the drop and created a mushy wet dot.

His eyes looked back over his work and could not recall what he had done. The beginnings of a letter to a nearby lord had halted and he had sketched out the scenes he saw in his mind. He was no true artist, but the visions and daydreams were well depicted in black ink and tan paper. The elf looked over each image he created; rolling waves, sandy dunes, seagulls flying at an angle, bizarre pinching spiders, western shores…. it was all there.

The elf felt another prick of cold followed by another as the subtle falling of snow began. He looked to the plains to find that the light of day was beginning to disappear and it was not helped any by the thick cloud cover that came rolling in and provided the season's first snow.

They had spent a good few hours out here and the snowfall was a sign that they needed to begin heading back, but he began to grow uneasy yet again at the thought.

With a heavy heart the prince looked towards the west.

Why did he have to go back to Minas Tirith? He was already out of the city, which was a major step. He did not have to go back and take responsibility for the mad-dash chase that took place. He would not have to be locked up, he would not have to fear. He had legs and could walk himself to the shores and leave. His heart began to thump in anticipation and began to psych himself up for the long journey.

He could be home in no time. He would be welcomed home just as he had wanted. His mother would be there. How he ached to see her again. His father would-

His father…

Oh, that brought on a whole new set of problems. Thranduil was not pleased that he had declined rule over Mirkwood and they had one of the worst heated arguments over his decisions. How could he show up to Valinor now? His father only left a few years ago and *_now_* he was going to admit defeat and return "home" with his tail between his legs? It didn't matter what had happened to him, he made a choice to be a leader and take on the responsibilities associated with the role. He could not leave now.

Besides, what would his father think of him? He would have to have a reason why he left Middle Earth so soon and yet he did not know if he could bring himself to admit his shame to his proud father. He knew his _Ada _loved him, but his weakness and humiliation was not something Thranduil needed to be informed of.

With another heavy sigh, the prince huddled up on the tree branch as he fought another shiver and looked back to Minas Tirith.

Sailing had been on his mind for weeks now. There was a gnawing need to leave in the pit of his stomach. But while he wanted to leave, a sadness washed over him at the thought. How could he leave without even saying goodbye to everyone?... How could he leave period?

"Why is everything so complicated?" he mumbled to himself as he buried his head against his knees and let out a vexed sigh. He could feel the dropping of snow increase and the light flakes were quickly melting when they landed on him. He needed to begin heading back.

He picked his head up and looked about for Brego who had ventured a small distance away. Legolas squinted his eyes as he scrutinized the animal.

"You had better be ready this time Brego." the elf whispered to himself.

Legolas picked the pages up and crumpled them into a ball. He did not need to hold any record of his visions and the work he had actually done was so minuscule there was no need to save it. He threw the balled up paper into the woods and regarded the rest of the supplies.

The quill was in horrendous shape and knew Aragorn would not miss one pen. He dropped the instrument to the ground, returning the feather to the wilds from where it had come from. The ink too was not worth keeping and after dumping the small amount of black liquid out, he tossed the phial out in the woods and allowed the cork to fall to the earth as well.

He stood on the branch and looked down at the distance that separated him and the ground. On normal cases, the height would not faze the wood-elf, but in his current condition, he was a little leery of jumping the height and risking injury. After contemplating his options, his only choice was to jump and the Wood-elf left the branches and landed as gracefully as he could on the snow dusted ground.

He picked himself up off of the forest floor and brushed the leaves and snow from his clothing. Crossing his arms tightly across his chest, He ventured from the trees to gather Brego. The plains were becoming slightly covered with the white snow and the elf halted his advancement for a brief time and took in the quiet surroundings. The falling snow muted all noises and a lonely silence surrounded him. The wind did not stir any longer, and the common woodland noises became deaf. It was if he were back in his stone rooms again and the green, gold, brown and red landscape slowly turned white.

"Brego..." the elf called out and the horse picked his head up to study the prince who was standing a few yards away watching him. "_It is time to go._"

Legolas began to walk to the horse who turned to fully face the elf. The prince watched the steed cautiously, looking for any signs that the horse would fight him on the matter, but Brego remained standing where he was until the elf gained his side.

"_This time we *have* to leave. It is getting dark and colder now… and I know not what the weather will be doing and we both cannot afford to spend a night out here._"

The horse pulled his head up and down, indicating that he understood and was ready to head off. Legolas unfolded his arms briefly to give the horse's neck a fond pat.

"_Thank you._" he whispered. "_Now, tell me, are you hurt in any way from earlier?_" The elf began to run his hands over the horse's ribs and haunches to check for injuries, but the horse did not make any indications of being in pain when being poked and prodded. The elf tried to feel for any hurts, but his hands quickly become numb again and he could not quite tell what he was feeling. He brought his hands to his mouth again and resumed huffing to bring about some warmth.

Brego knelt in the light snow and allowed the elf an easy vault up. The horse stood and waited patiently until the elf got comfortable.

Legolas took one last look about when something in the thin covering of snow made him do a double take.

Boot tracks were stamped into the snow and uncovered the green grass just beneath. As an elf, he had never made tracks in the snow no matter how deep, and yet he was certain he was the only one out here…

The elf looked about wildly for a few seconds, making sure there was no one sneaking up behind him, but when the coast proved to be clear, he looked back to the footprints with wonder.

**_Why am I sinking in snow?_** he thought.

"Brego? _Was there anyone else out here with you?_" Legolas asked. He thought he knew the answer himself, but had to ask anyway. Something was wrong… Something was wrong with him and that conclusion only solidified when the horse confirm no one else was out here.

He tried to find reason as to why this was happening, but there was only one logical outcome he could formulate. He had seen this happen to another elf once before and that was Arwen after she had given up her immortality to be with Aragorn. The light of the Elda had left her and though she still had pointed ears and could connect to others on a different level, what ultimately made her an elf had fled.

The same was happening to him, only he was not giving up his immortality by choice...

He was fading.

Legolas took a few deep breaths and shivered as he stared intently at the marks in the accumulating precipitation that were rapidly becoming covered up by fresh snowfall.

He closed his eyes as his anxieties mounted and took a deep breath to try and calm a new panic that was beginning to set in.

He needed help.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

* * *

Brego and Legolas traveled rather quickly across the plains of Gondor, but the sun had set allowing night to take over. There was no need to seek refuge within the woods, for the snowfall gave ample coverage to approach the kingdom unseen. The snow created a foggy effect in the darkening atmosphere and being a few miles away from the palace caused the white stone of the kingdome to be unseen for most of their journey back. The elf and horse were simply trying to make it to the city before the gates closed for the evening and cutting through the open planes gave them a straight shot to the city rather than wasting time weaving through the trees.

Brego trotted easily over the accumulating snow. There was a quiet calmness that the wintery precipitation placed over the landscape and despite the unease of his rider, Brego enjoyed the frolicking pace as he pranced through the snow to return home.

Legolas on the other hand was a complete mess. His nervous apprehension increased with nearly every step the horse took towards the unseen palace and he began to dread what would take place within the hour. He prayed that he would not be apprehended once he turned up in the city, but it was a foolish wish and he knew it. The city's gates were most likely doubled with guards now and the streets must be crawling with soldiers who had a trained eye for him.

"Brego _s-stop!_" the elf gasped. The thought of being locked away crushed him and his shivering frame jerked to both the cold and his fear."_I…. I d-do not know that I can go th-through with this…._" He stammered. He could feel his breathing increase and he worked hard to keep his anxieties at ease. However, his shuddering breath was limited and despite the worry consuming him, his body simply could not hyperventilate any longer due to the cold swamping him. The elf was vaguely thankful for small mercies.

The wind swept through the flat expanse and blew the snow in the elf's face. As his loose hair was pushed about, the snow fell upon his exposed neck and ears and the elf shuddered harder. He had lost the feeling in his hands long ago and now that the temperature was dropping with the settling of nightfall, he could not find a way to gain any heat. The warm breath technique he had been using on his hands was providing little means of comfort and though he tried to keep up with it, the bitter cold that rolled off the mountain tops continued to cause the temperatures to plunge. He hunched further over as his tense muscles jittered to try and generate more body heat, but he found no relief from the frigid air and it was quickly becoming painful.

The horse seemed agitated and he jerked about. He wanted to continue on. He had seen enough of an unsafe world in his lifetime and the dark of night usually brought about a frightful time. Though he could not detect danger, it did not mean they were safe and the horse wanted to be in the secure warmth of his stall. He bobbed his head with a few grunts, indicating that he wanted to push forward, but the elf was hesitant.

"_D-do you th-think we could g-go elsewhere?_" the elf chattered. His mind ran rampantly to try and come up with a better alternative for their destination to be, but even as he spoke the words, he knew there were no better options. The stone city of Osgiliath would be no safer than Minas Tirith, not to mention it was much farther away and the ride would take close to two hours to reach the gates - and that was on a good day. Right now it was snowing and already dark, which would only add time to the trek. His own home terrain was much farther north and the Elven city would be at least a day's ride away and they did not have that kind of time.

The rest of the area was pretty vacant and even if there were towns nearby, the elf could not bring himself to go there. Well known cities he would chance, but small towns full of traveling merchants and traders?... No; he almost prefered being locked in an underground cell.

The horse grumbled with displeasure at the request. He had grown accustomed to the lands from traveling with Aragorn on many trips and knew once outside of the city, one would have to cover much ground to reach the next establishment.

The elf let out a shuddering breath while his body continued to shiver. "_I know I-I know. I j-just don't want to g-go back. I know w-we need t-to I just wish th-there was another p-place w-we could go._" Speaking took effort now as his quivering caused his voice to waver and the elf gave up talking. It was pointless to argue about this as there were no options left. They had no choice but to return to the White City. Reluctantly, the elf gave a little kick to the steed and the noble stallion resumed his trot.

By the time they were close to the gates, the form of the city was able to be picked up by eye sight. Along the defensive wall, torches were lit at every guard station, casting dotted lights that outlined the mountain city in the snowy dark. At times the flairs were barely hanging on to their light as the wind toyed with the bright flames, making the city to appear to be fading in and out of sight.

Two massive lanterns were hung on either side of the city's gates and were burning brightly to mark the entrance. The flame's enclosures did a better job in retaining the marking flames, but they swung heavily in the gusting wind.

As the elf and horse approached from the western wall, they could vaguely make out a gathering on the fields just before the gates. They were heading for the kingdom, but they seemed to be moving slow and the elf commanded Brego the halt for a moment to see what was going on.

A procession line of carts and wagons full of various supplies were heading for the city. All in all, about four carts were being escorted along by a dozen or so people walking beside the wagons to help steer and guide the buggies when extra help was needed. Each cart was piled high with unseen items and tarps covered up the goods that rattled about when the heavy wagons ricketed on every bump, stone, and twig on the ground. The snow was making for a sloppy journey and the large wooden spoked wheels of the carts were covered in a thick mud that was carved out of the plains due to the soft ground and weight of the carts.

Each wagon was being pulled by a pair of aggravated oxen and the tough beasts were beginning to have enough of their workload. They grunted and mooed every time they put their all into pulling the wagons and some of them were simply giving up despite being so close to the city's gates. The driver of the cart came forward and gripped the short ropes that were attached to metal rings that he been pierced through the cow's noses. He began to give them a tug to force the animals to move and they let out an elongated groan of irritation as they were being forced to continue on.

Legolas was stunned. This could not be happening… this was almost too good to be true. He felt a massive wave of relief crash over him at the sight of the caravan and he knew if they were make it into the city, this might be their only chance to do so and not get caught. The elf formulated a plan of action quickly and prayed that it would work.

"Brego_, D-do you s-see th-the caravan? Pull in b-behind them a-and stay close. Walk w-with their pace. If w-we c-can look like we are p-part of their com-p-pany, p-perhaps we w-will not be g-given a s-second g-glance._" the elf forced himself to speak.

Brego understood and he back tracked their path a small ways until the snow coverage was dense enough to not be noticed and he rounded the city walls. The procession's tracks were deep in the earth and easily picked up and the horse followed them until they pulled up behind the last cart undetected. The men in the line were too preoccupied with forcing the stubborn ox to move and they did not keep their sights up as the snow continued to fall. Looking up would cause the snow to land uncomfortably on their faces so to keep their vision clear, they kept their heads bowed beneath the hoods of their cloaks and only chanced glances about if it was needed.

The marching line was incredibly slow. They could only move as fast as the ox could pull the carts and Legolas seemed to hold his breath nearly the entire time. His heart pounded with anticipation and he was in a whirlwind of emotions. One moment he would be confident that they would make it through the gates unnoticed. Then in a flash, he would be filled with doubt and feared the outcome of such a foolish attempt to get back. How could this possibly work?

They began to walk up the incline to the city's gates, and Legolas gripped Brego's mane as if he were holding onto a life line. The moment of truth was upon them and there was no turning back now.

The caravan was halted as the gatekeepers asked for identities and requested the proper paperwork to be shown. The men stated they were from Osgiliath bringing trade items over to Minas Tirith's markets. The official documents were handed over and the guards did their jobs well by scouring over the certificates. Finally, access was granted and after the legal documents were signed by some high ranking authority, they began to get on the move again. The carts slowly passed through the gates one at a time and all that was left was the last wagon that Legolas and Brego had snuck behind. The cart began to roll, but it did not move more than a few inches before it stopped.

Legolas tensed.

The stubborn oxen obviously had enough of pulling their overloaded cart and both refused to move any longer. They shook their horned heads back and forth trying to disengage from the yolk about their shoulders and when that did not free them, they became mad.

The guards of Minas Tirith ordered the Osgiliath merchants to contain the mighty animals and several traders ran to the ox to begin working them. Bull crops and lashes were brought forth and each animal was struck in an attempt to make them submissive. The whistling crack swished through the air as the animals were beat.

Legolas sat upon Brego behind the cart, horrified. Every snap the whip made caused the prince to flinch as hidden memories surfaced. He could recall being in a foggy, drug-induced haze, but could vaguely remember the bite of a lash when he tried to fight against his captors and the burning sting could be felt upon his chest and back. Being beaten was not the worst part of his abduction, but his scarred heart ached for the animals regardless. Tears began to well up in his eyes with every sickening crack made by the whip and it took every ounce of will the elf had to keep impassive and ward off his fears.

The ox were enraged at this point. They began to kick and fight. The wooden cart jostled about and began to roll backwards as the animals were not moving cohesively.

"Tom! Get some rope! We're gonna have to tie them up! They are getting feisty!" the driver yelled and the one presumed to be Tom pelted to the back of the cart in a frenzy. He was so focused on getting the supplies needed as fast as possible that the added person to their procession went unnoticed. He practically bodily shoved the sturdy horse back as he attempted to get into the cart. He dug around for the items they needed and pulled a large coil of rope from the wagon and ran back to the unruly beasts.

Legolas became absolutely petrified. His world had intensified into a mash of fear and sorrow as he saw the rope being taken to the animals. Despite the numbness in his hands due to the cold, he could feel the unmistakable burn of ropes through memory and his wrists began to tingle and ache. However, he could not make his body respond to any movement, even to rub away the raw chafed feeling and his very limbs felt rigid and stiff like stone. His heart dropped. Those poor beasts…

The ropes were tied into a loop and the men created a lasso that was swung over the each animal's heads. Once pulled tight, the ropes caught around the base of the animal's wide curled horns and were pulled relentlessly to keep the beasts still enough to to be considered safe. The bulls could not pick their heads up with the combined weight of the men pulling them down and the heavy yolk across their backs rendered them mostly immobile. A brave man approached the groaning cows to grip the short rope attached to the thick nose rings. He began to give them a pull while the beasts fought through the pull on the tender flesh.

The cows only fought harder and the cart began to roll further backwards while the mad ox began a struggled tug-of-war. The animals were far stronger than the men and it was clear the humans would have a hard time to get the stubborn animals to cooperate.

Brego backed up a few paces as the cart began to roll towards them. There were shouts of alarm from the front of the line and just as soon as the alarm was raised, the cart began to roll swiftly down the incline.

Legolas was still stuck in his terrified dazed as his mind had narrowed to his days of utter torment. He did not fully understand what was happening and just stared off at the moving scene before him. Brego was unsure what to do now that he did not have any command from his rider and the warhorse was left to his own devices. He made the decisions with to what to do, and as the cart moved towards them, Brego stepped to the edge of the ramp, careful not fall off the sheer drop of the incline. The cart rushed past them as the ox backed up quickly. With the pulling ox, the men were dragged back while they skidded and slid on the snow covered stone.

The gatekeepers saw the seriousness in the situation and rushed forward to the merchant's aid. Brego grumbled and twitched in nervous uncertainty as the area erupted into frenzied chaos, but he found an opportune moment and wasted no time. When the guards rushed past him, the steed bolted for the unguarded gate and slipped inside unnoticed.

He pushed through the crowds of people that had gathered around to watch the events unfold and after prancing about and picking his footing carefully, the horse trotted away from the masses and towards the first interior ramp.

The horse pulled into a vacant side street and halted under his own will. The elf was still sitting upon his back in a shuddering daze and the horse bucked fast to snap the elf out of his trance. Legolas was not well prepared for it. When the horse kicked his back legs out, the elf lost his balance and flew forward. He tried to scramble to remain on the horse, but his numb body could not feel well enough to find purchase. He slid off the horse's withers and fell to the snow covered cobblestone.

The elf sat up, but did not move any more than that. He had reached his breaking point and the copious amounts of stress and anxieties had overworked his already weary mind and the elf had a silent meltdown. He curled over and buried his face in his hands as the tears he was fighting nearly all day welled up. They spilled over the brims of his eyes quickly and the shuddering form of the elf was jerked spasmodically as he wept.

It was too much. Everything was just piling up on him and it was too much to try and suppress. He was beginning to shut down. He could not catch a single break from his torment and he ached to find a calm peace. Now that he had returned to the strong confinement of the city's stone walls, he regretted coming back and he began to wish he had walked to the western shores. He didn't care that he made a promise to Aragorn and it would be unfulfilled nor did he care if he ever saw any of his friends again. He just wanted to stop living in this nightmarish mess. He was trying so hard to find the will to remain here, but his memories of abduction were just too harsh and came back too easily.

"I cannot d-do this!" he sobbed into his hands. He wanted the Valar to strike and take him away. He wanted it so bad it hurt, but no matter how hard he willed it to happen, the only thing he could feel was the thick tendrils of cold reaching up from the snow and brushed over his already freezing body.

"Valar, p-please!" he tried to shout out for all to hear him, but his shuddering sapped his strength and his call was no louder than his breathing.

Even the Iluvatar left him trapped here and the despair was nearly bone crushing.

Legolas took a few deep breaths to try and calm down. Losing his composure would not do anything to help him. It took a few moments, but his crying did eventually stop. He did not know if it was from lack of strength and exhaustion that allowed him to harness his sobs or if he really could choke them off despite the urgency of his predicament.

He remained sitting for a time, but another thought entered his mind which only added to his confused need.

_**How will going to Valinor help me? Won't' I still remember what happened? And what then?**_

Again, he found that he did not know what he wanted.

Brego watched the reactions of the elf and remained still, but he wanted to get home sooner rather than later. He stepped up to the shivering elf and nudged him to get him up.

"_J-just go Brego. I-I do n-not want t-to go back. I d-do not know w-what I want.. I-I do not know where t-to go. Just l-leave me h-here._"

But the horse did not move. This did not feel right. Returning home without your rider was never a good thing and the noble steed could not leave the elf here, even if it was his command. The horse wedged his head under one of the elf's arms in an attempt to get the Elda to hold on to him so he could pull him up. However, when Brego raised his head, the elf's arm limply fell back to his lap.

The horse grumbled. Slowly and carefully, Brego laid down on the ground beside the elf and nickered to the prince, encouraging him to climb on his back, but the elf just sat there and would not move. The horse reached over and gathered the hem of the elf's tunic into his mouth and pulled the prince closer to himself. The horse was demonstrating his willingness to carry the prince while explaining what it would mean for him to show up riderless.

Legolas shook his head to himself with doubt. How could he do this to Brego? He had taken on the responsibilities of the horse's well being the moment he opened the horse's stall door. Now he was just going to desert him and leave the horse to fend himself? Though the horse had angered him earlier that afternoon with his refusal to leave, the steed had not abandoned him and had always made sure the elf was safe.

Legolas was being selfish.

The elf huffed as he tried to clear his mind. If he was going to lose himself, he did not need to drag another into his mess. If he wanted to be left alone and wander about aimlessly, he could do that by himself *_after_* the horse was ok.

"_I-I'm sorry_ Brego… _I j-just… Just g-give me a m-moment._"

The horse let out a soft squeal and stood to his feet. He would wait for the elf, but refused to lie in the cold snow. After he shook his coat free of the fluffy snow, he pulled up close to the elf and allowed him the time that was requested.

Legolas worked himself into a strange calm and dug deep within to find the strength to push forward. They managed to make it into the city, which surprised the elf now that he had his wits about him, but there was still one more gate to go and he felt like he was running out of miracles.

Legolas stood and wavered on his feet. He gripped the horse's mane to help steady himself as he brushed the snow from his clothing. He turned to Brego's face and gave the neck a sturdy pat.

"_F-forgive me m-my friend. I-It was w-wrong for me t-to despair and p-place you in this p-p-position_."

The horse shook out his mane again while he accepted the elf's apology. He stomped his hoof to the street and dragged it along several times as he pawed the unrelenting stone. He was glad the elf decided to go back, but he was through wasting time.

With slow and stiff movements, Legolas managed to pull himself clumsily onto to the back of the horse yet again. Once settled, he crossed his arms to continue battling the cold and gave the animal's ribcage a squeeze with his calves to encourage him to begin marching.

Brego needed no command and took off in a swift trot.

They picked their path cautiously and only traversed through small side streets that ran parallel to the main drag. After what had happened earlier, they could not bring themselves to re-walk a single step from that stressful time and Brego chose a meticulous rout. It took more time, but in the end, the last side street dumped them at the first ramp and they had successfully navigated the city without passing the soldier barracks or raising the alarm.

Brego pressed on and maneuvered without much guidance from the elf. He had walked these streets plenty of times and knew the path home. The levels came and went. By the time they reached the last grand tier, the snow was beginning to fall rapidly and the streets were becoming slick. Roughly an inch had already accumulated and there was no telling how much more would fall.

Brego's hooves slipped here and there as he marched towards the palace. The wooden doors were partially closed as they were preparing to lock up for the night. It looked as though there was no one present. However, at the sound of footfalls a guard poked his head out from behind the doors and looked to the lone rider.

"Halt! State your name and purpose." the guard commanded. Legolas fairly flinched at the sound of his voice and stared at the man almost blankly. He did not know what to say. He took a deep breath and forced his shivering to halt so he could talk.

"My name is Legolas Th-Thranduilion and my business here is with m-my friends and family. I have been a guest to the royal h-house and I have returned from attending to business of my own."

The guard looked askance to the mounted rider. He was not informed that anyone would be leaving the palace nor that anyone should be let back in. He cocked his head for a moment pondering over what the man told him.

"Do you have any identification on you to validate who you are or that the king is expecting you?"

The elf looked away. "Nay. The king is n-not expecting me for he believes me to still b-be inside and I have come away without any way to identify myself. I had my brooch, but lost it earlier t-today in the city."

"What brooch?" the guard asked. There were few items that were helpful in distinguishing individuals, but that was only if the item was unique enough to stand out and be remembered among the countless of objects they see on a daily basis.

"A green leaf broach that matches one th-that the king wears. It is an elven p-pin from Lothlorien and was only given to nine i-individuals."

The guard knew the item being described, but he did not give in. Anyone could simply describe an item and claim to be someone else.

"Wait right here." the guard stated and walked back to the cracked doors to talk to another officer.

Legolas shifted on the horse and rolled his eyes.

**_Where else would I wait?_** he thought. His nerves were making him rather cross. He just wanted to get this over with.

"Hey, Garrison," the guard spoke softly, but the sharp elven ears could hear the hushed conversation. "There is something not quite right with this one… He said he has been here for a while and needs to get back in, but I do not have orders to let a specific person pass. Do you?"

"No I was not informed."

"He does not have any identification on him either."

Legolas began to tense up again and this time it did not have anything to do with the cold. This did not bode well.

There was a pause before the one named Garrison stood and poked his head out to the entry to take a look for himself.

"Hello! Is there anything I can help you with?" Garrison asked.

The elf huffed... He had already explained this. "Yes." he said tersely as his frustrations were mounting and he fought against a shiver. "I-I need to be let in."

"Ok, and who are you and why do you need to come in now?"

"D-did I not just t-tell him th-that?" Legolas nodded towards the other guard. "I am L-Legolas Greenleaf Thrand-dulian."

"And you say you have been staying with the king?"

"Y-yes."

"Well, visiting hours are over and the king has retired from duties for the evening."

"I am n-not here visiting I am h-here to stay!"

"And do you have anything to state that or prove who you are? We cannot just let someone enter the place by taking their word as to who they say they are."

Legolas huffed in annoyance. These guards were doing their job well… too well.

"Well?" the guard asked.

The elf clenched his chattering jaw. The only way he could get back in was if Aragorn came out here to validate who he was and Legolas absolutely did not want that. If Aragorn had to come let him in then his sneaking about would be uncovered and he would have to own up to his foolish decisions.

"I cannot p-prove my identity unless y-you get the king to come out here himself." the elf said.

The guards looked between one another with skepticism. This could be a trick.

"Tell you what sir, why don't you come back in the morning? In the meantime, the soldier's outpost is in the lower part of the city. You can go to them and they can assign you an escort. When you have one, we will let you in and you can be taken to the king to see if you really should be here."

Legolas paled. He would *_not_* do that.

The moment of tension was interrupted as footsteps crunched in the snow on the other side of the wooden walls. Garrison walked backwards until he gained the opening, all the while keeping his eyes on the rider. He poked his head through the gate quickly to find Anna, the head maid, had stopped by to offer the officers a cup of hot tea during their grueling cold-night watch.

"Hi Garrison. I thought you two could use some warmth." she flashed him a smile while holding up a tray that held a teapot and mugs. Garrison returned the smile quickly, but got to business.

"Thank you Anna. Listen... we have someone here and things are not adding up."

Legolas could hear this conversation just as easily as the other one and he scowled.

"Please get inside quickly before this turns dangerous." the guard continued.

A look of alarm crossed Anna's features and she looked to the guard with uncontained worry. "What is going on? Can I get help?"

"Just get yourself inside. Quickly please."

"Garrison... please be careful." Anna whispered. She and Garrison had been seeing each other regularly for the past few months and the thought of having her suitor get harmed did not sit well with her.

"Of course sweetheart. I'll come see you during my break..."

Garrison turned back to watch the mounted rider calmly. He did not want to engage in anything yet with his girl so close to danger, but Anna, took her leave and quickly stepped by the gates to get inside to safety. She chanced a glance at the stranger through the crack in the palace gates as she made her way back, but she did a double take at the rider and her recognition was suddenly sparked.

"My… My Lord?" Anna halted in her tracks as she locked her sights on what appeared to be the Elven Ithilien ruler, but it was almost impossible to tell from that distance and the snow that clung to him further prevented a clear visual of him.

Garrison whirled around to face Anna.

"What? You know him?"

Anna looked to the rider and stepped cautiously past the cracked doors. When she got closer, she could clearly see that it was who she thought and she gasped at the way the elf critically shivered.

"Why… yes!" She turned to Garrison and his comrade as she quickly explained. "This is Lord Legolas of Ithilien. He has been staying here for a time. But…" She turned back to the elf. "What are you doing out here? We thought you were already in the palace?"

All eyes turned to the shivering elf.

"I had b-business to tend to." he bluffed and hoped that was all the explanation he needed to give.

"My Lord Legolas, King Elessar has been searching everywhere for you." She said.

Legolas hung his head. Great. Aragorn knew he had disappeared. Oh, this was not going to be good.

"Well h-here I am..." the elf stated flatly.

When the elf shivered again, Anna got moving and began to help the elf's case.

"Let him in Garrison!" Anna commanded. The guards pulled back after hearing that the king was in fact expecting the fellow and they allowed the elf to enter the palace. Once past the entry, Anna stepped in front of the horse and placed a gentle hand on his muzzle to control the animal calmly. Brego pulled up short and jerked his head back. Anna caught his head gently and stroked his forelocks fondly. She looked up to the chattering elf with worry. He was far too pale and looked to be suffering through hypothermia.

"My lord, you do not look well. Please, can I call an attendant to care for your horse?"

Legolas looked about the area. The barns were still some distance off and he knew now that they were in the palace, the attendants could care for Brego just as well as he could, if not better. With a nod, the elf pulled his leg over the animal's back and slipped off slowly. He stumbled when he reached the ground and leaned heavily on the horse for support.

Anna rushed forward to grip his arm and help steady the elf, but Legolas calmly, but forcefully pushed her away. Anna looked to the guards sharply with worry.

"My Lord! Are you injured?"

"No A-Anna. I am f-fine." He said with his usual stubbornness, but Anna did not believe it for a second. If he was fine, he would not be in this shape.

"Go summon a healer. Quickly." she said to the two soldiers under her breath and the guards looked between one another for a moment before one of them rushed off in search of a member of the medical staff.

"Th-that will not be necessary A-Anna." but the maid made no attempt to stop the guard who rushed off.

"I'll call Giran to care for the horse. You need to get inside." Anna stated, but as she was talking, Legolas had already brushed past her and headed for the warm interior. He shakily climbed the staircase and slipped on an ice covered step, but caught himself and pushed onward.

Anna took a few steps, intending to follow the elf, but the soft click of horse hooves on the stone brought her back. She could not leave the horse out here unattended and there was no one else present to hand custody over. Only one guard remained at the gate and that coverage was sparse enough.

"Come on boy. Come on." Anna called out and placed a firm hand under the horse's chin to lead the tackless horse quickly to the barn where he could be turned over to the staff. "Giran! Giran! Come quickly please! I need you to take a guest's horse!"

The young stable boy ran down the dark isles until he found the maid. Without pause, Anna passed the horse off and called over her shoulder as she began to head back. She stopped however when the stable boy pulled up in surprise.

"He is Lord Legolas' horse. Please see to him. It looks like they have had a long journey."

"What?" Giran asked as he looked the horse over. "*_Who's_* horse is this?" he pointed to the horse and asked with punctuation.

"Lord Legolas'." The maid halted to make sure there were no more questions, but the stable boy shot her a disbelieving look.

"Anna, this is the king's horse, Brego. Where did you find him?! He has been missing all day!"

"What?"

"Yes! I came in here this afternoon to make the rounds and his stall was open and I have been looking *_everywhere_* for him! Where did you find him?" The boy gave the animal's snow covered mane a firm scratch, relieved to have finally found the royal horse. "Thank the heavens you are back, Pretty Boy." He said to Brego and looked back to Anna to get an explanation.

"That's the king's horse?" Anna asked.

"Yes." Giran replied.

"Oh-Okay… I do not know what to tell you. Lord Legolas showed up with him and I assumed it was his horse. Either way, please see to the horse. I have to go." The stable boy nodded before he lead Brego down the aisles to be placed in his stall and Anna turned quickly and ran back to the palace to track down the elf.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

* * *

Legolas stumbled down the halls to his rooms. He pushed himself as fast as he could go so he could reach the privacy of his chambers, but the chattering and shivering that had consumed him from his prolonged stay outside was not letting up and compromised his usually smooth and confident gate.

The warmth from the interior was welcoming, but it was too weak to provide much comfort. The elf was far too cold at the moment and while the cozy temperatures of the palace began to melt the snow that accumulated upon him, it did nothing to battle the deep, bone-chilling cold that was rattling the elf's thin frame. He needed an intense heat to unthaw. As the snow turned to water, it soaked his clothing and caused his hair to hang in wet clumps about his face and neck. This only added to his chill and if it were possible, he seemed to shiver harder.

The stinging bite from the frosty air had halted the moment he entered the palace. But as he made his way further through the halls, his skin began to burn as if he was being held over a flame. He looked to his hands with confusion. He did not understand how cold could burn so intensely and it alarmed him to find his exposed flesh was flushing a deep shade of pink. He thought this was a sign that he was warming up, but another shot of cold raced through his muscles and he chattered violently.

The prince had never been a fan of the cold since being subjected to it over the past few weeks, but until now, his discomfort did not compare to this. He did not understand how anything could survive in the cold and it was a wonder that Aragorn had actually lived in the wilds and faced the harsh chill on a daily basis for most of his life. There were numerous occasions when Legolas had joined him on the patrols and spent many seasons with the man, but he sighed with a bit of guilt for always poking good-natured fun at the ranger when the man claimed to be cold. He had no idea it could feel like this.

The prince arrived to his rooms but pulled up briefly. The doors were left wide open, allowing an unrestricted view into his chambers. He looked about, realizing others had been inside at some point as the space was not as he had left it. The accent table by the door held a lit candle. It had been lit a long time ago for it was beginning to burn low. It was placed upon the edge of a folded parchment and at first glance it looked to be a letter. There was no name on it, but was all too obvious that it was a note for the elf. Across the room, a fire had been lit and the steady flames were expelling tremendous heat. The licking flames seemed to call out to him as the fingers of orange, red and yellow moved hypnotically in a 'come hither' motion and the elf could not resist the call.

However, he stopped abruptly at the concerned mention of his name from down the hall.

"Legolas?"

He did not need to look up to know who it was, for the voice was unmistakably light and clear. He closed his eyes in frustrated disappointment as Tauriel caught sight of him once she had turned a corner. The elf maiden came rushing forward the moment she saw him.

"Legolas?" She called out again when the prince did not answer her the first time and the prince sighed heavily.

"Yes?"

"Where have you been?" Her voice and eyes was full of sorrow as she regarded her friend. But at the same time, the demanding tone was still present as she came to stand beside the now soaked and shivering woodland prince. It was evident he had been outside, but she could not fathom a place where he could have been. They had been looking everywhere for him.

"O-out." was all he said. It was none of Tauriel's business where he was. In fact, it was no one's business.

"Out where? I was beginning to worry. We have checked all of the courtyards for you but did not see you."

A strange feeling overcame the prince. While he was frustrated in being pestered, his heart found a small speck of comfort and joy to hear that Tauriel had been concerned for him. It almost pleased him… almost.

"Then y-you did not look h-hard enough." he flatly stated. He looked to her to try and brush everything off with a grin, but as he looked to her, another jitter tore through him and Tauriel watched on, horrified.

"Oh Valar Legolas..." She said as she took in his appearance. His posture had been crippled due to the chattering and his face was flushed in a very un-elven way. "Are you-"

"I-I am fine." He cut her off but she did not heed his words. She quickly reached out to press the back of her hand to his cheek and forehead to feel for fever, but the prince moved awkwardly to dodge her hands and her fingers brushed over his jaw.

Though the contact was light and quick, Tauriel's assessment proved the prince was not feverish, but the opposite, which was no better.

"Legolas! You-"

"I'm fine!" the prince grit out. His anger was on the rise now, but he was saved from further harassment as Anna could be heard calling out for him from down another hall. Tauriel looked in the direction of the maid and Legolas used the distraction to his advantage and slipped into his rooms unnoticed as Anna rounded the corner.

"My Lord! Please wait!" the maid called out and Tauriel looked back to the prince only to find the door being closed and the handle's latch clicked to hold the door closed.

"Legolas!" Tauriel called out and knocked on the wooden surface a few times to get the prince to open up, but it was a futile attempt. The doors remained closed and he did not answer to her calls. Tauriel almost brought herself to try opening the doors, but did not know if that would help or hurt the situation. Instead, she continued to knock on the wood panels, hoping her adamant requests would cause him to open up.

Anna threw her hands up in defeat. She knew her proper place well and bothering and disrupting the king's guest, especially a guest who was another high powered lord, was most rude. She halted her own pleading to the Wood-elf. She was in no position to demand anything of the prince and she approached Tauriel to put a stop to her pestering.

"My Lady Tauriel. Please. Do not upset him any further for I do not want to make him flee again. King Elessar has made that very clear to me. I have orders from the king to let him know if the prince has been found. Please, let him be so the king does not have to track him down again."

"Go quickly then. I will wait here-"

"No my lady. King Elessar is in his evening meeting with the captains of his soldiers. He will be another hour or so. There is no use waiting right now and making Lord Legolas upset. Please. Come away, let him be."

Tauriel gave the idea a thought and eventually gave in. She would go back to her rooms, but that didn't mean she would not monitor the halls. If the prince left again, she would intervene. Tauriel gave the maid a nod and followed Anna down the halls for a short distance until she came to her rooms and took her leave inside the cozy space as Anna continued to the throne room to wait for her king.

* * *

Legolas closed the door quickly and let out a shuddering sigh in relief. He was half afraid he would not make it in here, or if he would it would be supervised. But now, he found himself in the comforting warmth and safe privacy of his rooms. While the knocking on the door continued for a time, eventually it ceased and all went quiet.

Legolas made his way to the fireplace and along the way, grabbed the note that was left for him. He took a seat upon the stone hearth to get that much closer to the fire and he closed his eyes briefly, relishing in the soothing heat that was beginning to seep through his wet clothing.

The heat felt amazing and he huddled up on the stone ledge as the fire worked over his back. He did not have any energy left to do much else and while his curiosity was sparked by the note, he had no will to read it at the moment. He set the parchment down beside him and held his hands behind his back, feeling the intensity of the energy that the fire gave off and he flexed his fingers stiffly to help get them warm.

Legolas felt so incredibly drained now. Today had been strenuous to say the least and the elf could feel the foggy clutches of sleep come towards him yet remained out of reach while his cold body prevented it from closing in. He sat on the hearth for a while, wishing the fire could somehow be hotter, though he knew such ideas were foolish. He leaned back so that he was barely touching the metal spark screen and huddled closer to fire to try and drive away the cold faster. However, being only one inch closer to the flames did little to add more heat and the elf grew impatient. He wanted the shivering to stop now and the dry heat, though warm, was not working fast enough.

He pushed through his fatigued mind to recall Aragorn and any of his known remedies to get warm. There were few times when the young ranger seemed to be in the same state the elf was currently in. It was caused by either overexposure to the elements or when a strange bout of sickness overcame him. It had been at Lord Elrond's bidding that the young man should take a hot bath to warm up and the ranger was only too happy to agree with his foster father.

Perhaps he should do the same?

He was reluctant to leave the warmth of the fire in order to seek the cold dark bathing chambers, but if an expert healer such and Lord Elrond had requested it, and an equally renowned healer such as Aragorn agreed to it, there had to be a reason why.

He got up and wavered on his feet before he found his balance and made it to the dark bathroom. He floundered with the hot water faucet, forcing his unwilling hands to work and soon a steamy stream of water began to fall to the basin. He put the stopper in the drain to dam up the water then stood to allow the tub fill up.

He walked over to the oil lamp to try and light the wick. However, his fingers were too clumsy and flushed from thawing out that he could barely hold on to the items to get the instruments to work properly. He gave up quickly. He didn't need the light, for the fire in the living quarters filtered through the doorway and a portion of the glow was reflecting of the polished stone walls, adding just enough light to see. It was far from bright, but it would do.

The prince fumbled with the catches and ties on his clothing. He ineptly peeled the soaked garments from his frame and simply discarded them on the floor. Though the massive basin was far from full, the elf could not wait another moment and he hastily stepped into the tub.

He hissed however when his ice cold feet were submerged in the hot water. It felt as though he were standing in dragon's fire and he and he retreated quickly to stand on the cold marble floor. He did not understand why the water hurt so intensely, but the burn he felt was dissipating and turned to a pleasant warmth as the cool air chased away the searing pain. The flash of warmth in his feet was brief and caused him to shiver violently as the cold reached him again. He needed the heat and he craved the hot water, but feared it all the same.

He put his hand under the faucet to test the water that should have been bearable. Again, the water that splashed over his hands felt boiling hot. He turned the cold water on to mix it with the hot hoping to dilute it. He became relieved when the water changed from steamy to to warm and his fingers did not sting. He kept the temperature right on the edge of intolerable and he eased himself back in the tub and sat quickly. He practically fell into the water and it sloshed everywhere including the floor, but he didn't care. The water that was rising felt remarkable and it worked far faster in warming him up than the fire did.

He let the water run until the tub was nearly over full, allowing it to become as deep as possible before he turned the water off. The steady stream of water shrank and became no more than a dribble until the water in the pipes drained and the rest lazily dripped out. Legolas leaned back against the tub walls and closed his eyes again, cutting off his sight so he could fully immerse his senses in the soothing warmth.

Though he was still shivering, it had receded fast and when it had reduced to nothing more than a slight trembling, he was unsure if this was residual tremors or just his body's protest from his self neglect.

Despite warming up, he turned greedy and needed more. Legolas slipped his head under the water to allow the bath to close over him entirely. His pointed ears stung at first with the drastic change from being ice cold then burning hot, but the pain dissipated when they acclimated to the warm water.

He stayed under the water as long as he could, but his lungs began to ache with need to take in air and he begrudgingly sat up to breathe. He wiped the water from his eyes while resuming his reclining position against the slant in the rock tub walls. He slouched so the water came up around his neck and sighed in blessed comfort. The water continued to drip out of the faucet and plinked in the pool, giving off a repetitive soothing sound.

Legolas listened to the quiet melody of each drop. Combined with the lack of light in the bathroom, it worked a wondrous lull over the dead-tired elf and he welcomed the serene bliss. Slowly, his grasp on reality began to loosen and his eyes closed peacefully.

His unassuming thoughts turned to his disastrous brush with the cold. The snow that once looked beautiful to him failed to hold that same quality now and he shuddered at the thought of delicate snowflakes landing on his bare skin, each unique formation now taking a small amount of his strength and leaving him cold. The blanket of pure white that covered the landscape looked like a covering of dread and discomfort, and his own boot tracks that were stamped into the snow unsettled him.

He opened his eyes and stared at the dark blank walls of the bathroom and let out a dispirited sigh.

He knew he had not been like himself in a long time. His soul felt weighed down and his body heavy as his depression deepened nearly everyday. But he did not realize the full impact that his stress and dolefulness was having on him. He thought he was dealing with everything appropriately, but what he had seen in the snow earlier today sharply countered his beliefs.

Was he really fading?

There had to be another explanation for what he saw. He wanted to disregard it, even though his heart seemed to come to grips with it. The startled realization of his predicament was slowly morphing into fact.

Legolas pushed his mind past all of these thoughts. Droning over this at the moment was not going to do anything but torment him and he forced his mind to turn down beautiful paths. Closing his eyes once more, he recalled thoughts of home. He had many homes; Mirkwood, Rivendell, Ithilien, Minas Tirith, the wild north lands that the Dunedin roamed, western shores that he had not yet seen and the beaches would be filled with family and friends…

He let out another sigh, this time it was frustrated. Why did he let his mind wander to a beach?

He refocused. Recalling people brought on a new string of images and thoughts and his distant memories turned to that of his beautiful mother and her light, caring, love. He had barely known her as she had passed when he was a very small child, but every memory he could recall from his young years was filled with love and joy. He missed her. He always had. He accepted her death despite being too young and too naïve to fully understand what it meant, but even the word 'death' was foreboding and his little mind knew he would never see her again in Middle Earth.

His parental love and care then came solely from his father and he began to recall spending quality time with his _Ada_ in his elfling years. He missed his father too. He had missed him for a long time as Thranduil changed much over the course of his son's childhood and into adolescence.

Then his thoughts drifted to bow practices with friends, sitting the tree tops with Tauriel, spring time in Mirkwood, warm summer nights in Rivendell, traveling with Aragorn, laughing and sharing many long years of deep friendship with the human and his brothers, Ithilien and the glorious old forests, Gimli and his gruff dwarf mannerisms...

His thoughts ran free as his senses finally fled. The tautness in his muscles loosened and his head began to fall forward with each passing minute until his chin came to rest lightly on his chest.

The elf quickly choked and sputtered as he inhaled. His nose and mouth had been submerged in the water when his head fell forward. He was instantly snapped out of the tranquil calm as he coughed and blew the water from his nose. He was a bit disoriented after being shocked out of a speck of sleep, but he recovered quickly and sat up.

He watched with no real interest as the water poured off of him and the remaining drops of water trickled down his arms. But when he failed to formulate thoughts or places to take his mind to, it wandered off again on its own.

It was odd to think that the bath - something so soothing, so delightful, so nurturing and so indulging - could turn to out be so dangerous.

Legolas looked into the depths of the water that surrounded him with a pondering look. To go home, one had to travel over water… But could you not just as easily get there by going under it? Could you not slip under the water and never return to the surface and yet find yourself going home?

The elf snapped out of it quickly when he realized what he was contemplating and shook his head to himself with a startled realization.

No; he had been over this. He could not leave, there was no reason to leave.

He did not want to leave.

And yet...

Legolas squashed the thought. He would think about this no more for it would only further add to his stress. He just wanted to find some peace and it had been working until just a moment ago. He tried to think of other things but his mind was too weary to come up with another train of thought.

With a troubled sigh, the elf decided the bath had done its job and it was time to get out. He stood uneasily, stepped out of the tub and reached for a thick towel. He rubbed the terry cloth over his arms and legs then began to sop up the water on his chest when something didn't feel right. Through the plush material, a rippling effect could be felt when his hands ran over his body and he looked down sharply with worry.

He was startled to find he was thin… too thin and he could begin to feel his ribs where lean, toned muscle use to lay.

As if lashing out to try and validate his thoughts, his stomach let out a fierce growl and he held his hand over his midsection to try and quell the noise. He became perplexed; he could feel the rumble in his stomach, but it was so knotted up from being tense and stressed out, he did not feel even a hint of an appetite. As usual, even the though of food did not sit well with him and as the grumbling subsided, he was left feeling shaky and sick. How could he be starving, and not even be remotely hungry?

He was a bit shocked with his thin appearance. He did not know he had wasted away so quickly and he looked to his trembling hands a bit uncertainly. What he once thought was residual tumors of cold was actually instability from lack of nourishment and his body was doing everything it could to let him know he was in dire straits. This had been going on for awhile now, but he only continued to ignore it while he brushed off the lightheadedness, trembling, lack of energy and even passing out.

However, he thought over the events of the past month and supposed he should not be surprised. He recalled his last real meal was in the company of Valiändier before he left to journey north. Travel was notoriously harsh and one would have to survive on meager rations, but he had not traveled very long until he was caught-

The elf snapped his head to the side as if the very memory had struck him across the face. He didn't want to take his mind there.

Legolas finished drying off quickly and wrapped the towel around his waist, tucking the edge into the hem to hold it. He reached into the tub and pulled the plug, letting the water gurgle and slurp away. He kicked his clothing into the corner and grabbed his boots so he could put them away and stepped into his rooms. After placing his boots in the closet, he made for the dresser. He dug around almost blindly as the fire was beginning to die, but he was able to locate a white, long-sleeved sleeping shirt and pulled that over his head.

He could feel a slight lingering coolness in the air as the fire lost some of its intensity while he took a bath. He returned to the drawers to try and find the bottoms to go with the sleeping set, but could not find them. Instead, he pulled out some leggings. He was going to take no chances with the cold and slid the pants on to add more protection against the wintery air. He felt slightly silly for dressing in legging for the evening, but he would rather feel silly than cold.

Once dressed, he ran the towel through his wet hair and his fingers combed through it to try and remove the excess water. The dampness in his golden locks was bringing forth another bout of chills and the elf made his way to the fireplace. He tended the hearth and restored the fire to a burning blaze.

He watched the fire for a time, but let out a soft yawn after a few moments. He turned to make for the bed, but the folded parchment on the hearth caught his attention and he bent quickly to retrieve the note he had left there. He opened the letter and looked at the single line of script and sloppy signature. The unmistakable slant in handwriting and distinct curves of the letters could only be the work of one person.

Aragorn.

The elf read the penned line and his blood ran cold. He could almost feel the anger and disappointment in which the note was written and his eyes scanned the page quickly.

"_When you return, come see me. We need to talk. -Aragorn"_

The elf let out a sigh as he refolded the note carefully and ran the pre-made crease sharply between his fingers a few times.

Great… just great…

Legolas suddenly crumpled the note into a ball and threw it into the flames where the fire made quick work of the paper. Within seconds, it became nothing more than ash and fell among the red coals.

He did not know what time it was, but from the looks of it, it must be getting late. He resolved himself to see his friend in the morning. He could not do it now. He could not face anything or anyone at the moment. While the thought of answering to Aragorn vaguely filled him with dread and apprehension, he was too worn out to let it bubble up. He became slightly hopeful that perhaps come sunrise, everything from today would be forgotten, but knew there was little hope for that. He would have to explain everything to his friend and could think of no ways of getting out of it.

The elf trudged to the bed and pulled the thick covers down before he slipped between the sheets. The soft, warm mattress felt unbelievably cozy as it supported and enveloped him in total comfort. He could feel his body giving in to much needed sleep before he was even fully situated and his movements were becoming sloppy and hard to manage. He pulled the comforter over his head to block any trace of cold air that might snag in his damp hair and with a heavy relaxed sigh, he curled up in the soft bedding.

Within seconds, he was fast asleep.

* * *

****Meanwhile****

The occupants of the throne room were professional yet at ease as the nightly briefing was underway. The king sat atop his throne and he listened to all the details being discussed, while the steward was busy scribbling notes as the commanding officers of Minas Tirith took turns stepping forward and announced status updates on their platoons.

It was a routine meeting and had actually moved along rather swiftly, much to the attendees relief. It was snowing rather heavily now and they did not want to waste any more time than necessary due to the concern for those who needed to travel back in the slick cold. Each high ranking officer ran down the usual topics of discussion quickly, filling their lords in on the latest news and happenings that they had dealt with that day.

All in all, there were about a dozen or so divisions that had congregated in the throne room and nearly everyone had their turn in giving the rundown with the exception of the last officer. The man stepped forward as the rest before him had, and announced his name to get to get things going.

"Captain Dramayer, first division from the western side, your majesty." The man stated loud and distinctly as he saluted to the nobles before him.

"Good evening Captain Dramayer. At ease." Aragorn stated and the man dropped his hand to his side quickly. "Let us begin with attendance and the status of the men in your group. Any issues to report?"

"A few men are out sick, most likely due to the changes in weather. It is nothing serious and they should be back in no time."

"Are there any issues or concerns between the men? How is morale?"

"Morale is high, and I have no issues to report."

"Alright…" Aragorn nodded and looked down to Faramir to see the progress with his notes. Once the pen stopped moving, the King resumed. "Then let us move to supply inventory. Any updates there?"

"Our supplies are right on track and have submitted a few order requests for the items we are running low on, but it is only for minor things and it is being taken care of my lord."

Aragorn nodded.

"Any weaponry concerns? How are you in that department?"

"Everyone has been outfitted with updated armor. We are making the rounds this week to inspect blades. Anyone who owns a sword in need of re-sharpening will be sent to the smithy. We do have a few young men in our ranks and we are honing their skill with a bow. Archery practice is going well, but we will be needing more arrows to keep our supply well stocked."

Again, Aragorn nodded and watched the steward from above taking his notes. Aragorn paused for a moment and tried to come up with other things to ask the officer, but his mind was not totally focused. He was unsettled that Legolas had been missing all day and the prince's disappearance was beginning to eat at him. Despite searching, friends, family and palace staff were not able to locate the prince and all he wanted to do was get out of here to see if there was any news on Legolas.

Before the evening meal, Aragorn had stopped by the elf's rooms to see if he had returned, but when the door opened, it was cold and dark and the man's optimistic hopes had been let down. It was getting late and the season's first snow was coming in. He hoped beyond hope that the elf would return any minute and the man lit a candle in the foyer and started a fire to heat the space up. He had scribbled a note to the elf some time earlier and finally found the time then to drop it off in the prince's rooms. He slid a corner of the parchment under the candleholder that sat on the accent table. He purposefully made the message quick to sound stern, trying to convey the reader that once he returned, he absolutely had to see the king to put his worry at ease.

Aragorn felt like he had a hard time sitting still in his stone chair and he crossed his leg over the other to try and find a way to keep the nervous shifting to a minimal. He was probably the most anxious one in room and wanted this meeting to end as fast as possible.

"I believe that is all I have…. Faramir?" the king questioned. "Do you have anything?"

Faramir thought for a moment before he addressed the soldier.

"No, I believe I have no further questions." Faramir said as he gathered the parchments intending to put the stack away for the evening. As he straightened each sheet, he looked to the guard standing before them. "Is there any other news that you need to address with us before we close?"

"Yes my lord, in fact I do. My men told me there was an incident today in the city. We had an unruly character fail to comply with an officer. He had been asked several times to stop and did not. When my men tried to apprehend the suspect, he fled and continued to go against orders to halt. No one was harmed, but a barrel of food rations was destroyed in the process and the people are beginning to be concerned for safety. The fugitive managed to get out of the city, for it was reported that he had left the palace on horseback and my men lost him over the plains.

"Descriptions of the individual vary slightly, but it seems the constant claim is said to be a tall, thin, young man, perhaps in his late teens or early twenties. He had a fair complexion and blond hair. He was riding a dark bay horse and he was last seen heading west."

Aragorn listened to the report, but seemed unphased by it. This sort of thing happened from time to time within the city and given that the people were coming off the peak of a much anticipated holiday, this type of behavior was not surprising, especially from an adolescent who seemed to be described. While the unruliness was unusual, the matter seemed to brush over the king who was not concerned by it in the least. Faramir went to work, sifting through pages and documented the case should they need to recall it at a later time. As the steward penned notes, the officer continued to speak.

"I know this does not seem like a matter that should be escalated to you, being as his crimes were very petty and we would simply handle the situation ourselves. However, my men said there was something distinctly off about the individual…. He looked as though he was not from here. Everything in his manner of dress marked him as an outsider and he seemed agitated."

"How was he dressed?" Faramir asked, ready to write any comments on the description.

"I apologize my lord, but my men could not describe it as the situation got out of control quickly. All they could tell me was he was clearly not a resident of Minas Tirith."

A man from Dramayer's ranks stepped forward and mumbled quietly to get the captain's attention and when Dramayer looked back, a wadded up mass was handed to him and the captain took it with thanks.

"My men were able to get a hold of his cloak, however." the captain held the bundle up a little to show the evidence to the nobles. "I do not know if there is any evidence as to an identity. Perhaps there are hints to a nationality in how the item was fashioned, but I present to you our findings so you can judge what to do with it."

Dramayer stepped forward and handed the thick balled up cloak to Faramir who took it without question and set it on the floor underneath his chair. The king could gather it when he descended the towering white throne.

"The oddities found within the suspect has given my men reason to believe he may have been up to no good. We have no evidence to confirm our suspicions, but some men are weary of a spy or an assassin since there are many royals, nobles and lords here for the holiday. I wanted to make you aware of the situation as a precaution and I would advise that you make your guests aware of the matter so they know to keep a trained eye when traveling. I believe this individual to no longer pose any threats, but if he is up to no good, he may not be working alone."

"Duly noted." Faramir stated as he set the quill down and turned in his chair to gaze up to the king. "What say you? Shall we double up on guards and request them to be more alert?" Faramir asked the king and Aragorn nodded in agreement.

"Yes." Aragorn said to Faramir before standing and addressing the entire room. "Men, have you all heard the report just given by Captain Dramayer?" When the hall nodded Aragorn continued. "Then I agree with Faramir and think we need to up our guards for a time. Please station double watches on all gates and make your men aware of what is going on. If anyone suspicious crosses your path, you need to conduct an investigation and make sure they are of no threat. If you are unsure about a person's story or claims, you may apprehend them and bring them forth for evaluation…. Any questions?"

When the room remained silent, Aragorn turned to Faramir, giving a quick nod confirming he was done and began to decline down the staircase. "Meeting adjourn." The king called out and the room of soldiers saluted to the king before the men scattered about and began to file out of the hall.

Aragorn made his way over to the steward's chair to talk briefly with him. Faramir was busy packing up the papers and was shoving them into a satchel designed for holding paperwork.

"Tis never ending." Faramir said with a slight laugh to brush off the fatigue from a long day. He pulled the strap tight to the satchel's flap to keep the documents inside and looked to the king who did not say a word and only mutely nodded. The king watched the last man exit the hall and once everyone was out, he let out a sigh of his own and passed a hand over his face, wishing the motion could simply swipe away the worry he had building inside.

"I cannot believe it is snowing already." Faramir commented again as he stood up from his chair and slung the pack over his shoulder. He began to step away and Aragorn was right beside him as they began the long walk down the expansive hall. "Winter was on a fast track to get here and it certainly showed up not a moment too soon."

"I hope this is not a sign of a long harsh winter." The king commented dryly and let out another sigh as he looked to the floor as he walked. The king seemed troubled and the steward eyed him cautiously for a moment as they headed for the doors. He knew the king had been on the lookout for Legolas and he could only assume that was what was on his mind.

"Is there any word on Lord Legolas?" Faramir asked quietly and the king let out another sigh at the mention of the topic that was weighing heavily on his mind.

"No." the king's disappointed single word was just as heavy as his mood.

"Aragorn, my lord, I know I have offered once already, but if you need me to, I can put together a search party if you wish."

Aragorn seemed to contemplate the idea but shook his head. He had not had a chance to talk with Legolas to know what was bothering him or in what mood the stubborn and prideful elf had left with. Having an actual search party sent out to find him would certainly make matters worse, even if the woodland prince was not upset when he left. He did not want to begin arguing with the elf for being 'over bearing' before he even had a chance to talk with him.

"Thank you but I think it would be best if we did not. I'm sure my brothers have been searching and perhaps they have some news. I will be heading out to check in with them."

Faramir nodded, but said no more on the topic. The vagueness as to which the royal family seemed to keep to in regards to the fair elf was a clear indication that something was not right, but it was a private matter and he certainly did not want to press if it was not his place. All he would do is offer his friends support and if they chose to take it, he would be more than glad to step in.

The pair nearly made it to the door when Aragorn pulled up abruptly and looked back to the hall.

"My Lord?" Faramir called out with question as he too stopped and looked back to see what Aragorn was looking at. Aragorn began to backtrack and called over his shoulder as he made his way back to the throne by himself.

"I forgot the cloak. I'll lock it up in my office for safekeeping. You go on ahead. Do not forget about the meeting early tomorrow in the library."

"I shall be there. Have a good night." Faramir said. He began to walk back to the doors when he suddenly pulled up and turned back to the king who had resumed walking. "My Lord?"

Aragorn paused and turned on his heels to face the steward.

"I know it is not my place, but I do request a favor of you, if you see fit."

Aragorn tipped his chin as he anticipated the request to be voiced and he nodded once for Faramir to continue.

"If you find him… Legolas that is… may I be informed? Just so I know all is well?"

A warm thoughtful smile tugged at the corners of Aragorn's lips.

"Certainly."

"Thank you." Faramir returned the smile lightly, demonstrating he knew there was a seriousness but would remain cautious during this time.

Each man turned back to their original paths and Faramir let himself out while Aragorn made it to the steward's chair. He bent quickly and pulled the cloak from under the frame of the chair, but paused momentarily to marvel over the garment.

It was a very thick cloak and looked luxurious and expensive. The shell was made of a dark gray wool and the underside of it was lined in ultra soft rabbit fur. His curiousness was sparked suddenly. His men were right that the manner of dress did not fit any of the citizens in Minas Tirith for this looked as though it was fashioned for…. a…. king…..

This cloak suddenly became little too familiar and dared to take a better look. He gripped the edge and let the rest of the material fall to the floor as the wadded up fabric unrolled. As the last wrinkle fell free, a small metal object fell to the floor and tinkered on the stone floor for a second before it came to rest, face up, at the man's feet.

Aragorn stared blankly at an all too recognizable green leaf brooch on the floor, yet he could not comprehend what he saw. There had to be some sort of mistake and he reached his hand to his neck, thinking his own pin had fallen off, but his fingers brushed over the cool metal holding his royal cloak in place. The man's dread began to build.

He knelt to the floor and plucked the mallorn leaf brooch off of the floor and held it in his palm as he studied it. He flipped it over and noted the straight pin on the back had been bent, rendering the object useless and the king turned it green-side-up again to try and validate what he saw the first time.

This could not be what he thought it was. He ran through his mind for an answer.

There had to be a mistake.

Surely it belonged to one of his brothers… but neither of them owned such a pin.

This was not happening.

Gimli must have been out in the city for a time and left his items somewhere. These had to belong to the dwarf… But the cloak was far too large for the dwarf's stout form.

This could not be happening, could it?

The familiarity with the cloak turned to recognition as he suddenly realized that what he held, was one of a few cloaks he had ordered to be made for Legolas upon their return to the city. The pin in his hand could only belong to Legolas… but how?

Aragorn could not move as Captain Dremyer's description filtered through his frantic thoughts.

_**"tall, thin, young man, perhaps in his late teens or early twenties. He had a fair complexion and blond hair... he was last seen heading west."**_

The realization hit the man like any forceful blow would and he continued to stare at the pin flabbergasted. The guards did not try to apprehend a man, but an elf! It was Legolas!

"No..." the man gasped… there had to be a mistake… but there was no denying it.

Aragorn left the chairs quickly and tore through the throne room at a dead run. He threw the doors open intending to rush to find his brothers, but backpedaled quickly as Anna, the head maid, stood just on the other side of the now open doors. The frenzy in which the wood panels were opened caused her to flinch with a gasp of fright and she cowered away a few paces to find safety before she recognized her king.

"Anna. Where are my brothers?" Aragorn demanded quickly.

"I know not my lord. I can find them for you if you wish."

"Yes. I will go check their rooms, but if you find them, tell them to meet me in my study immediately." Aragorn brushed past Anna quickly and the petite maid called out uncertainly.

"Yes your majesty, but my lord, as requested, I wanted to report that Lord Legolas has returned."

The man instantly stopped his forward motion and turned to face the maid in shock.

"He what?" Aragorn questioned to make sure he had not misheard anything.

"Just as your meeting began, he returned to his rooms."

"Why was I not informed of this immediately?" The man's worry came crashing down as the relief to hear his friend had not actually left settled over him. However, his anger was on the rise over the elf's actions and he was becoming quite terse. Aragorn did not quite realize he was taking his frustrations out on the wrong person and he demanded to know information that his mind craved.

"I apologize my lord, truly I do, but you were still in your meeting. I am not permitted to interrupt so I waited here to tell you as soon as you got out. I sincerely apologize if I have made an error in any instructions, your highness." the maid bowed nervously.

Aragorn was too worked up to realize he had snapped. He knew Anna had not made any mistake and she had been following orders exactly as they should have been.

"No Anna, you are right, you did what was told of you. Please go find my brothers and my wife. Let them know Legolas has returned so they do not continue to worry. Tell Elladan and Elrohir to meet up with me. I will be in either Legolas' rooms or in my study."

Anna bowed and began to wander off to see to her new set of orders when Aragorn called out to her again.

"And Anna? Please tell the same to Lord Gimli." Anna bowed again when she heard the request and tuned once more to leave when Aragorn haled her once more with a sigh.

"Anna… I apologize… I am a little scattered right now. Can you please also tell Lord Faramir the news? He does not need to meet up with me, but just inform him the prince is back."

"Yes my lord." Anna said with another bow but she did not move in case the king came up with another demand.

"That will be all. Thank you." Aragorn said hurriedly and he turned to head off for his private guest wings.

* * *

Aragorn knocked on Legolas' door the moment he stepped up to it. His knuckles hit the wood harshly as his resentment over this whole day was festering during his walk over here. By the time he made it to his destination, the man was nearly fuming.

The man knocked again quickly, and grew impatient.

"Legolas. Open up." Aragorn demanded and he paused to try and listen for any noises coming from his friend's room.

"You bull-headed elf..." the man began to mumble to himself, but stopped as he heard his own gritted words. He knew he needed to stop and get a hold of himself. While he had reason to be upset with the elf, he knew that was not the right way to approach the situation and he let out a deep breath to try and quell his nerves.

"Valar, you have graced me with the most patience I think you could ever give to anyone," the man whispered. "-but I am asking you... please do not let that leave me now. You know, above all else, I will need all the self-control and composure you can give to me..." Aragorn asked quietly. He drew air into his lungs slowly to help fight the burning deep inside.

The man waited, but again, the elf did not open up and he brought his hand to the handle and gave it a try. He fully expected it to be locked as it had been earlier, but he was pleased to find the door opened easily.

"Thank you." the man mouthed as if thanking the gods for working miracles. He let himself inside and immediately looked about for the elf. The fire was beginning to burn low, but still offered a good deal of light and he could make out the lumpy appearance on the bed. He did a quick check to the accent table beside him and though the candle had burned itself out, he could see the note was not there indicating that the elf had received it.

Aragorn pursed his lips. Even after reading the note, the elf did not come find him and the man could feel his anger on the rise again. He set his jaw and stalked over the bed not bothering to try and be quiet. He purposely let his boots ring on the stone floor and when the elf failed to move, Aragorn knew the elf to be ignoring him yet again.

"Legolas." the man demanded but still the covers went unmoving and the man peered around the form trying to take sight of the elf, but realized he was under the covers.

"Hiding like an elfling is not going to get you out of this, Legolas." the man stated coldly and crossed his arms waiting for the elf to appear.

Still, the prince went unmoving.

With an irritated huff, the man gripped the hem of the comforter and pulled them down quickly to uncover the wood-elf, but his anger lowered a notch when he finally saw his friend.

Legolas was asleep, slightly curled up on his side on the mattress. His eyes were closed and it only painted a picture of complete exhaustion as his breathing was steady and deep. The heaviness in which he lay into the mattress, rather than on top of it, was a bit unnerving to see and his pale features were accented by flushed cheeks and dark circles stretched under his eyes.

Aragorn's anger gave way to worry instantly and he knelt on the floor to become eye level with the elf and he began to assess his friend. His pulse was fine, his temperature was cool and he did not appear to be injured…

The man reached out to the elf's shoulder and jostled him lightly to try and wake the elf up.

"Legolas?" the man asked, but still the elf did not move. "Legolas? _Mellon-nin_, wake up." he softly encouraged. A response was not immediate but slowly, the elf began to shift and he groaned under his breath as he was pulled from a very deep sleep. He looked about, almost confused, and his bleary eyes turned to look at the man kneeling in front of him.

"Legolas?" Aragorn's voice took on more compassion when he looked into the dull blue eyes and he frowned. "Legolas are you alright? Where were you?"

"What?" the elf questioned and his voice cracked with the single word. The man sounded like he was talking too fast and his groggy mind was having a hard time coming back. He squinted in the dark as lingering sleep made his eyes burn. He could feel cold air about him and he could not feel the calming pressure of the comforter's weight upon him and he shivered. He forced his hand to search for the covers and he pulled them back up around his shoulders tightly.

Aragorn's brows furrowed as he watched the way the elf interacted with the cold. He aided him and helped settle the blanket back around the prince and Legolas curled up again. His head sank heavily into the pillow and his eyes began to drift closed again.

"Legolas, please… where were you today?"

The elf sighed heavily as he settled under the covers. "Out."

"Out in the city? In the plains? I know you were not in the palace. Why did you leave?"

Legolas felt the growing dread coming back as the man got right to the topic he wanted to avoid. He knew it was pointless to resist and even though his responses were groggy, he confessed.

"Yes all of it… The city, the plains. I needed a break"

"From what?"

"From you."

The man pulled back in surprise. "From… me?"

"N-... no…. not *_just_* you… everyone."

"Why did you disappear? Could you not tell us where you were going so we did not have to worry?"

"No."

"Why not?"

The elf forced his eyes to open and he looked to the man staring back at him. "Because…" the elf stared and his voice was beginning to slur as the pull of sleep began to tug at him again. "...if I would have done that, I wouldn't have been given a break. Someone would find some excuse to go with me and hover over me and watch over me like I am some child that needs to be supervised."

"Legolas, that was-"

"I know... I know... it was dumb…. stupid, reckless…" He paused as a yawn escaped his lips and he shuddered again before he continued with a basic, matter-of-fact tone. "...I should have been more careful…. I should have known better…. I shouldn't have left…. I should not have placed Brego in that situation. I should have told someone. I should have been better prepared. I should not be so stubborn and should have allowed someone to go with me…. But I did not…. I was not thinking logically when I left and it was a snap decision." He uttered all the blaming words quietly that he knew he would receive and took all the accusing words away from the man so he would not have to hear a lecture.

"Okay, alright. Alright Legolas…." the man backed up and rolled his eyes. This was going to turn ugly if he pressed on as the elf was already on the defense. He hated being this passive with the prince but he was keen to know that if both of them entered the boundaries of this conversation with heated tempers, he would lose harshly and swiftly.

Legolas settled further into the bedding, seeking out more warmth with an exhausted sigh.

"How do you feel?" Aragorn asked as he stood up and sat on the edge of the bed beside the elf.

"Tired. Cold and Tired."

"I can tell. You do not look well."

"Really?" despite fighting sleep, the elf's tone was incredulous. "Strider, when I have I ever looked well?"

Aragorn was startled by the question and did not know how to answer it. He looked to his friend almost sadly and watched as the elf closed his eyes and shifted under the covers to get more comfortable.

"What do you mean?" Aragorn asked. He had seen the changes in the prince over the course of a few weeks, but getting the prince to notice it was not exactly easy and he wondered what brought on this new pessimistic outlook.

With another weary sigh, the prince shook his head against the pillow. Talking was becoming a chore and even putting thought into forming words was difficult.

Aragorn could see how bad the elf needed rest and decided not to press for it now. They could talk tomorrow and get to the bottom of everything then. He stood up quietly and made for the bathroom where he grabbed a washing cloth from the folded pile on the sink and turned the water on. He let the faucet run to get the hot water to course through the pipes and after wetting the cloth with the warm water, he returned to the elf.

"Legolas, can I get-" but the man halted his question as he found the elf had fallen back asleep. He knew the elf must be tired and the fact the woodland prince had given into sleep so quickly voiced that knowledge. He placed the warm cloth over the prince's forehead carefully and tucked the edges of the blanket around his friend to help prevent drafts from reaching the elf.

"Rest _mellon-nin_." the man whispered. "We will talk in the morning."

Aragorn turned to the fireplace and threw a few more logs on the fire, then took his leave.

As he closed the doors the prince's rooms a subtle tread could be heard and he looked up to find his brothers bolting down the hall.

"Estel?!"

"He is back?"

"Where is he?"

"Is he alright?"

The man held his palms up to get them to calm down. "Yes he is back. He is wiped out from a long day. Come…. We will go to my study to talk. I do not have all the details yet, but I'll fill you in on what I know."

The three traveled to the king's office quickly to hear news of their friend.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

* * *

_Never in his life had he witnessed a more beautiful sunset._

_The prince stood at the end of a wooden pier that stretched into deep waters past the crashing waves of the ocean. He watched as the last rays of sunlight burned brightly, casting an unreal and magical crisp yellow and orange radiance about the setting. It was a soft light full of warmth and comfort and the elf breathed deeply smelling the scent of salt in the air._

_The gulls were making the most of the dwindling daylight and they flew about energetically, just as children would play before being called home for the evening. He expected the gulls to be crying at the top of their lungs, filling the sky with their song, but like all the other times he had seen gulls, the birds did not make a sound. This gave an eerie chill to the otherwise comforting setting and the prince watched the large birds intently, knowing soon he would be as free as they were within a matter of moments._

_Tied to the dock he was standing upon, was a decent sized ship. The hull was long and narrow, built for speed, but was also rather thick to add strength. This ship had a very important journey and it seemed to have a mind of its own. It felt an urgency to leave at this very moment and began to pull at the ropes that held it anchored to the pier. The hemp squeaked each time it was pulled taut against the metal cleats that were bolted to the dock, but became quiet again when the pressure was released and the rope went slack as the craft bumped lightly against the dock. The current of the water and the passing wind added their own attempts to free the vessel, but again, the ropes that held the ship tethered to the dock kept the craft hostage to the elf's will. The wood of the boat began to groan and creak as if it were displeased with being restrained and it continued to pull against the bonds that were placed upon it._

_The prince knelt down and helped the boat. He pulled the knots free and tossed the rope over the deck of the ship, letting the craft drift where it wanted and it lazily began to back away from the pier only inches at a time._

_The prince smiled._

_He looked over the lands at his back and saw the sand dunes that he had once stood upon and watched the blue ocean for the first time in his life. Yet there was a vagueness that crept through his mind, almost as though he doubted the moment that he recalled through memory. Something told him that time was not real, and the memory was created out of imagination, not from the experience of living it…. No those dunes were real. He didn't care about the nagging voice telling him it was false. They were real…. And this moment was real, and everything around him was real._

_Behind the dunes, stood the thick and tall forests that graced the vast expanse of land that he once called home. Somewhere in the depths of the tree branches, many miles away, were the elaborate caverns that created the kingdom of Mirkwood, the sheer cliffs of Rivendell, the white stone cities of Minas Tirith and Osgiliath, and the stunning forests of Ithilien that belonged to the elves he held rule over. All of these places were home and he stood on the dock reminiscing on his life thus far._

_He could not wait to return home._

_Only home was not behind the dunes._

_He looked to the west again and concentrated his remarkable sights to the skyline, trying to see the distant lands he knew were there, but were too far away to be seen._

_Somewhere over the horizon, was home._

_The wind made another pass and caught in the canvas sails making them wave and puff out. The snapped rustling sound from the thick sails holding the wind back pulled at the prince's attention, telling him the time was now and there was no turning back._

_With a final glance to the lands of Middle Earth, he placed his hand over his heart before he swept it out, palm up in front of him, giving this land a final farewell._

"_Namàrië." (Farewell) Legolas whispered._

_He looked quickly to the ship that was floating further away and with a large, yet effortless leap, he jumped onto the deck of the retreating ship. The small craft swayed lightly as it rode over the top of the gentle waves, but the subtle rocking could not break the elf's posture and he remained firmly planted, watching the west and expecting the shores from far away to become visible. Any moment now he would see new tree lines. It would not be long before he saw unfamiliar mountains reaching for the sky. He could not wait to finally see the new beaches and step onto the sand of the foreign lands for the first time._

_He grew impatient._

_He wanted to get there as fast as he could and though he was sailing, it felt as though the ship was moving far too slow and he would never, ever, get there. Every second seemed to turn to hours, but the sun had only traveled a slight distance and the pace of the ship matched._

_With irritation, the elf looked back at the dock he just departed from to gauge how far he had traveled. He huffed as the ship was only the equivalent of the expanse found in an archery's range away from where it started. He should be miles away by now, he should not even be able to see the eastern shores… but he did._

_And then… a stab of regret sliced through his chest._

_The vacant dock he was standing upon now held a crowd a people._

_First he noted the elves of Ithilien. Each and every one of them were there and they watched in silence as the ship left Middle Earth. Their faces were gloomy and blank while the ship retreated. In the forefront of the elves, their new leader watched with pained eyes. Valiändier stood uncertainly. He looked to be both sad and terrified as his long time friend, and leader was departing, and he had been left to take charge of the upstarting elven realm. He was not a true leader. He could always be counted upon to take charge for short periods of time, but never in his life had he been the sole leader and never had he been placed in a situation where he had no one to lean on and had to make all the decisions for the masses. The sheer thought looked like it was going to crumble the strong elf, but he held his head high. Upon his burnet head, rested a familiar silver circlet… it was Legolas' simple crown, marking Valiändier as the inherited Elf King. The once second in command nodded to him in farewell and placed a comforting arm around the shoulders of another elf at his side._

_Tauriel._

_She had brought a hand up to her mouth, to which she sobbed into. Though he was a great distance off, he could still see her clearly and the sparkle in her eyes as tears ran down her face. This was not a happy sad. Her emerald eyes were horrified as she watched the prince, her friend her…. love... leave and she would forever be separated from the one her heart wanted again. Because she was banished so long ago, she would not be able to sail and she fixed her eyes on her love trying to absorb every sight of him and wishing she could be with him._

_Wait… Love?_

_To Legolas it felt right, and the look on Tauriel's face would seem fitting for those emotions._

_But how?_

_His own heart began to race as he locked eyes with Tauriel and the feelings he had been pushing aside and trying to forget for decades broke through with an intensity so hard, he could not breathe. He understood the feelings inside Tauriel for he was feeling the same way. He ran to the back of the boat and leaned over the railing trying to get that much closer to her, but the ship was carrying him away._

_Beside Tauriel was nearly every other friend and acquaintance he had ever known._

_Éowyn had clad herself in black and begun singing a Rohirrim song of prayer, one he had heard her sing when her cousin, Theodred, was being laid to rest so many years ago. It was sung in the native tongue of the people of Rohan and the words were lost on the prince who did not know the language. However, the strong voice and hunted tune provided an understanding._

_In essence, this was a funeral for a beloved friend they would never see again._

_Faramir stood beside his wife. He wiped a tear away from his eyes, but he kept himself mostly composed as a leader should. He held his hand up, flaring his fingers slightly as if to wave, saying goodbye with the gesture because the prince was too far away to be spoken to._

_Éomer had his head bent low with dismay and he mouthed the language his sister sang, but he did not voice the words that were on his lips. His riding helmet was held over his heart and clutched to his chest with his hand as the sad melody continued on._

_Countless noble men and advisers he had come to know were all standing and watching. Each were in their own stage of grief while some cried silently and others simply wore grim looks._

_Gimli's stout form was not easily missed despite his size and he stood there rigid and tense as he joined the crowd. His eyes were sad and he bit his lower lip to keep the tears back, determined with dwarven stubbornness not to let his tears fall and his emotions show… especially for an elf. Legolas looked into his brown eyes and in that instant the dwarf lost it as the tears welled up and poured over his cheeks but became lost in the thick red beard at his chin._

_Elladan and Elrohir were at ease. They were saddened, but they were not distressed over the prince's departure. Within time, they would reconnect with the Woodland prince upon the western shores and they gave the prince an elven farewell to wish him a safe journey._

_But there was one form that tore at the prince and he suddenly felt disgusted with himself for making this decision._

_Aragorn had dropped to his knees upon the dock and curled over with all of his grief pulling him down. His shoulders heaved as his sobs shook him hard. The man had lost a brother and the blow was devastating. The man's silver eyes came up to look at the elf and the anguish, hurt and anger was so intense, Aragorn did not look at all like himself. Though the man did not speak, a connection was made with the elf and the man was able to communicate with the prince in a strange way. Without moving his lips, without talking, Aragorn spoke._

"_Why Legolas?... You promised… Why are you doing this?"_

_Legolas' throat burned as he tried to suppress his own emotions enough to talk, but as he called out to his friend, the only thing that could be heard was the continuation of the mournful song sung by the shield maiden._

_Arwen had crouched beside her husband and was doing her best to comfort him, but he shrugged her off as he could not stand to be wrapped up when his sorrow was already squeezing him._

_Arwen looked to the prince. Her light blue eyes were sad, but there was an understanding in them. She knew why he made this decision._

"_The choice was yours, and you alone made it. Do not blame yourself for your actions." Her voice drifted to him._

_But he did._

_Legolas gulped. How could he have sailed? He made a promise!_

_Legolas ran back to the center of the boat with frantic speed and gripped a vertical rope that was attached to a pulley system that controlled the sails. He began to pull at it with desperation to try and turn the ship around, but a twang was heard and the rigid rope instantly became slack and fell into a coiled pile at his feet. The controlling line to steer the ship had been severed and there was no turning back now._

_He refused to give up. He reached over his head and gripped the horizontal pole that attached to the mast of the ship. With all of the strength he could muster, he began to push the sail in the direction he wanted it to go. The ship resisted and pushed back, making the elf's booted feet slide across the smooth wooden deck, but the elf grit his teeth and threw more power into his own resistance. He fought the mast with as much strength he had ever fought any foe._

_A subtle popping could be heard as the mast began to creak under the strain. The wood on the mighty mast began to splinter at the base, shattering with the force the elf applied to get it to turn. The sails began to move freely without a stable structure and the elf looked up to the towering poles as they swayed in the air before they finally chose a direction and began to topple over._

_The ship was broken._

_The elf jumped out of the way as the pole hit the deck, easily causing the ship to snap in two. The white sails hit the blue sea with an exploding crash of water and began to disappear as they sank to the bottom of the ocean and the ship began to follow._

_He ran back to the stern and leaped up to stand on the protective railing, gauging the height in which he would have to jump to plunge into the water. He was an excellent swimmer and knew he could make it back to shore without the ship._

_He was preparing to dive into the sea, but something sprung around his ankle and gave him a firm yank back. The prince fell to the broken deck with a hard thud and reached for his leg to try and free it. Rope had become tangled around it and was pulling him back to the center of the boat. The elf tried to pry the hemp from his leg, but another coil sprang forward and snared his wrists. A third coil wrapped around his waist and a fourth had squeezed around his neck._

_He looked up with terror as a hideous monster was hoisting itself out of the dark waters and upon the broken ship. It was huge; far larger than the boat itself and it was covered in a dark, slimy skin. It didn't seem to have a body, rather a large head with beady eyes composed the bulk of the creature. It had multiple long arms, like thick snakes and oliphant trucks, and the horrific beast had wrapped his arms around the prince not willing to let him leave. The ropes were no longer around him but had been replaced by the bone crushing grip of the sea monster._

_The elf tried to scream but the tentacle around his throat only constricted and choked off his pleas. The mighty beast had no mouth in which to speak, but a thunderous voice emanated from the creature regardless._

_**"Oh put a rest to it already! Do you really think they can hear your muffled cries?"**_

_The elf froze._

_Those exact words were spoken to him while he was being strangled._

_**"My, what a beauty you are."** The creature seemed to purr with dark malice as a freed tentacle ripped the elf's shirt open to marvel over the flawless elven body. It touched his chest and abdomen with cold slimy strokes. If the elf had been in any kind of panic before, it deepened beyond reason and the terrified prince did everything he could to try and get away._

"_Da...ro..." (stop) Legolas choked out but the creature only laughed._

_**"You... are going back to work the moment we get to town."** _

_The elf became absolutely petrified. Everything this dark creature said had been told to the elf before. He knew the monster's intent and he began to tremble shamefully in fear and desperation when all of his attempts to become free had failed. The creature let out a massive roar like a chorus of fierce battle cries from a thousand wargs before the monster plunged into the ocean and took the elf with him._

_Legolas tried to gasp for breath as the creature dove into the blue abyss, but the chokehold on his neck would not allow any air to pass into his lungs. He looked up to the surface of the water that closed over his head, seeing the way the unstable liquid skewed the solid sight of the orange sky and left the elf with broken patterns to try and piece together._

_Suddenly, A face appeared over the surface as though someone was standing at the end of a tranquil pond peering into the water to look at the fish in their aquatic world. The person watched the elf as he was pulled under. Through the dancing images of the broken water's surface, Legolas could see who was watching him._

_It was Aragorn._

"_Stri...der..." The elf grit out with effort but his words became junked up as his breath transformed into bubbles that rushed up past his face to the limits of the water's surface._

"_Legolas!" He could hear the man yell out… but it wasn't from fear… it was out of anger. "You promised!"_

_The elf strained every muscle to try and break free but he was going deeper by the second and as the light from the setting sun finally vanished, he found himself in a watery darkness with no way out._

_But suddenly, by his feet, a small glint of light was seen and he turned his eyes to peer at it. The monster below him held a tiny oil lamp in one of its many arms, placing it before the beast as if it were lighting the way to the bottom of the sea. The elf's lungs began to scream with need for oxygen and he renewed his struggles to get free, but the monster eased its hold around the elf's neck and he gasped for breath as his lungs ached. _

_As he took a breath, he fully expected to feel the rush of cold salted water enter his lungs to add a new agony… but only air filled his chest and he panted for a time. This went against all his logic and he stared in wonder as the sea serpent continued to pull him down. He knew he was underwater, but how was it that he could breathe?_

_They slowed their descent and then came to a stop. The creature raised the oil lamp and hooked it on a nail that magically appeared. The beast turned the flame up and dread filled the elf. The creature had pulled him back to the abandoned store. He was suddenly surrounded by four wooden walls. The elf's so called hell had been found at the bottom of the ocean. Men began to pour into the room eager to have their fun and the monster laughed. It released its hold on the prince with the exception of his wrists and held the poor elf in the center of the room keeping his feet only inches from the ground._

"_Have at him boys!" The creature growled and the men that had filed in the room rushed forward to take their sport and pleasure with the captive prince._

* * *

"NO!" Legolas fairly screamed the word as he shot into a sitting position. Before he was even fully upright, he knew exactly what happened and he looked about his rooms for a split second knowing full well he was in the safety of Gondor. He had just had another nightmare.

The elf threw the tangled covers off of him in a hurry as he pulled himself off the mattress. He did not allow any time to collect himself from the nightmare and the anger, terror, frustrations and despair were all too fresh. In a frenzied attempt to rid himself of his feelings, the elf gripped the balled up bedding and threw it in a fit of rage at the floor by his own feet. He slammed the soft materials upon the unrelenting stone as hard as he could to try and find satisfaction and relief in his explosion of fury.

"DAMN IT!" The elf snarled at the top of his lungs as the sheets were thrown down. He was completely over this. He was so done with his own mind tormenting him. He hated waking up this way every night and the fuming elf stormed to the closet on the other side of the bed to get his boots out. He needed to get away. He wanted out… Now.

The boots were thrown upon the bed to hold them as the elf slammed the closet doors closed, but the frantic movements caused his quiver to topple over and spilled the cache arrows about the floor after the doors ricocheted off the threshold and swung back open. With an over exaggerated miffed sigh, the elf crouched to the floor to snatch the few arrows off the floor. His hand reached quickly for the quiver and hastily held it up right as he practically threw the arrows back in the case and shoved the canister back in the closet before slamming the door yet again and placing his palm upon the door to make sure it stayed shut.

He sat on the bed and within mere seconds he had pulled his boots on and with trembling hands he sloppily tied them to keep them on. He was about to stand when a small glint on the floor caught his sights.

He turned his eyes and saw the gleaming point of an arrow lying partially under the bed. Apparently he had missed one of the missiles in his rush to stash them. A sudden intensity rushed the elf, but it only confused him. For some reason, the arrow felt as though it were staring at him, begging to be picked up. The prince found a gnawing urge of longing and needed to have the arrow close and feel its weight in his hands.

He crouched back to the floor and picked the arrow up. His movements were slow and calm this time and he began to stare at the projectile in his hands with a morbid fascination. He rolled the smooth shaft of the arrow between his fingers, causing the triangular tip to spin in tight circles while the razor sharp edges flashed in the dim light. He halted the movement and keenly eyed the dart.

The fine and lethal point of the arrow had an unusual merry sparkle and the elf studied it for a time marveling over the beauty in the sleet-silver iron. This elegant object, crafted with so much care was only used for one purpose.

Death.

To kill was the ultimate use for the item he held in his hands. It would slay evil and fell creatures in heroic attempts, or it could be used to provide the gift of food by shooting down prey. It could protect you, it could harm you, give aid, or wreak havoc. This small, delicate, and simple tool held so much symbolic power and force, more than he had truly even realized until now.

Death was an odd notion to elves and something he knew of, but did not fully understand. Every time he had seen it, through the carnage of war or by pure freak accidents, it had always saddened him as it did others.

But why?

In the end, it looked peaceful. After a few moments of pain and panic, the person would go unmoving and the fea would leave, going to the Halls of Mandos before being returned home. Why was death so feared by elves? It was not the end for them. Rather, it provided a new beginning and a quick rout…. home.

Death was still, quite, calm… nothing could harm you in death for you were already gone.

Without any thought, he touched the apex of the dart with a single finger as if to convince himself that what he saw was real. He could feel the hard iron in the pad of his finger then he moved the arrow point over his digit slightly, feeling the cold metal brush over his skin. It sent chills running through his arm and down his spine with the cynical, dangerous feel. The elf moved the arrow tip as though he were in a trance and studied the way it traced the fine lines of his palm before it came to rest against the underside of his wrist.

:: _More... _:: a ghostly voice filter through his senses.

He shifted his loose grasp on the wooden shaft and suddenly gripped it with a fiercely that he could not quite understand. He began to apply pressure to the instrument, watching all the while as the creamy skin on his wrist gave in slightly to keep itself from being punctured. Just a little more pressure and he knew it could all be over.

And yet, he paused.

:: _Do it..._ ::

All it would take is one quick and clean cut and he could be free from everything; free from pain, misery, and the torment of having to make the decision to stay or sail for the decision would simply be made for him. His fears would be left behind and his nightmares would cease. His life could simply drain away and he could go to a much better place while not having to break his promise to Aragorn nor live through the hardships he would face that he was currently battling.

He watched the razor-sharp metal rest on his smooth pale skin and the glint in the iron twinkled as his pulse subtly thumped against the arrow.

:: _More!_ ::

He felt compelled to listen to the inner voice. The elf tightened his grip on the projectile's pole and felt the slight sting as the first layer of skin was cut.

"LADDIE!" A loud concerned bark startled the prince. He pivoted on his heals clumsily and held the arrow out in front of himself in self defense against the person who was suddenly a couple of feet away from him. "What th' hell….?!"

"By the Valar Gimli! Do not do that!" The elf gasped once he realized who it was. The dwarf stood tensely with hands on his hips giving the elf a hard stare as he watched the elf take a few deep breaths to calm his startled actions.

"Do - what?" The dwarf punctuated angrily.

"Sneak up on me like that!"

"What are ya' talkin' about? I have been callin' out to you ever since ya' got up in that fit of rage you were in. I thought your pointed-ears were good for somethin' - not just looks! Didn't ya' hear me?"

"What? You were?"

"Yes… Why, I musta called your name several dozen times! You didn't hear me once?" The dwarf held a mixture of emotions in his eyes. There was a harsh worry and sternness as he watched the elf. He had seen what the prince was about to do. He tromped forward to stand only inches away from the elf and Legolas lowered the arrow in his hands as his shock wore off.

The elf just stared in bewilderment at the dwarf. He had no idea Gimli had been in the room the whole time. He looked over to the living area of his room and a large pillow and blanket were in one of the seats proving Gimli's claims. This did not sit well with the prince and he felt his anger begin to rise.

"What are you doing here?" The elf demanded tartly.

"I thought I'd take my turn an' relieve the twins this night to sit with ya' myself… Now, what were ya' doin'?"

The elf let out a sigh, but it turned into a low growl of disapproval.

"I do not require a nursemaid!" The elf snapped. He hated the fact that he could not truly be alone and now nearly all of his friends had taken it upon themselves to get a glimpse of his distress and utterly embarrassing reactions to his terrifying dreams. All of his shame was being voiced by none other than himself and he could not imagine what he had been screaming about while he was still asleep and thrashing about. He was mortified.

And now this….

He looked to the arrow still gripped tightly in his hand and realized what he had been doing and the elf felt his stomach tighten with sickness. What in the world had gotten into him? How would killing himself be a better choice? How had he come to this drastic and desperate choice?

The dwarf's expression turned hard. "Oh really? An' if I wasn't here, what do ya' think would have just happened? Eehh? You were contemplating what then?..." He eyed the arrow clutched in the elf's hands with great worry and a hint of anger at his friend's intent. He didn't know if Legolas was still dreaming and was only being possessed by the nightmare or if he had really been reduced to self harm.

Legolas huffed as he stood to his feet. "Leave me alone Gimli." his voice was low and dangerous. The dwarf squinted up at the elf with thoughtful worry laced with anger.

"Why? So you can mutilate yourself over somethin' as ridiculous as a night terror?"

"You live through one of them and then tell me how ridiculous it is!" He spat as his frustrations began to build again. "You speak of things which you *_do_ _not_* and *_cannot_* understand!"

"How can we understand if ya' don't talk to us?! You have been stressed beyond a healthy level an' you finally broke-"

"I am *_not_* broken!" The elf grit out and nearly came to tears as his own fears were uttered by another.

"I did not say *_you_* were broken-"

"Shut up Gimli!" The prince barked and he took one stomping step to the dwarf who actually backed up a pace.

"Now Lad… wait just a moment."

"I said leave me alone!" The elf stormed past the dwarf and made for the doors of his rooms, but his elbow was suddenly jerked back by the dwarf and the elf whirled around.

As Legolas turned on him, Gimli snatch the arrow that was clutched in his hands and ripped it from the long graceful fingers. Once the elf was disarmed, the dwarf released Legolas' arm, but gave the intense blue eyes glaring at him a level and even stare, daring the prince to make a move.

The elf squinted coldly but did not say a word as he turned stiffly to the exit and left, leaving the doors wide open and not bothering to close them at all. It was clear his privacy was no more and there was no use hiding anything at this point. He left the dwarf standing in the middle of the foyer as he marched off wherever his legs would carry him.

Gimli watched the elf leave, for that was the only thing he felt he could do. His mind was frozen and had no clue as to what to do in this situation. The dwarf looked to the arrow he had taken from the elf and frowned. This was getting out of control. Legolas needed help, but he knew the elf would not listen to him in his current state. He had no choice but to get someone else to step in.

Gimli walked to Aragorn's rooms and knocked urgently upon the grand doors. It took a few moments for the king to open up, but the doors did finally open and Aragorn poked his head into the hall. The groggy man squinted with the residual sleep that stuck to his mind and eyes and the man blinked heavily to focus on the dwarf.

"Gimli?"

"Aragorn... We've got a problem."


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

* * *

Aragorn was frantic while he ran through his palace trying to locate Legolas as quickly as he could. The dwarf had filled the man in on the events that had transpired and it spurred the king into action before Gimli finished relaying the news. He threw a tunic over his sleeping shirt and stepped into his boots as he brushed past the dwarf to begin looking for the prince. He stressed to Gimli that despite the elf directing his anger towards him, Legolas needed Gimli's support and encouraged the dwarf to search for the prince. He instructed Gimli to rouse Elladan and Elrohir to add more people to the search parties. As Aragorn ran down the corridor in the direction Legolas ventured, Gimli made haste to get the elven twins.

With all of the commotion, Arwen had woken up and she overheard the conversation her husband was having in the doorway. She committed herself to join the efforts to find their distressed friend. She slipped into some silken robes to keep herself decent and began looking about and coordinated her efforts with her brother's and Gimli's when they all met up. The decision was to branch out, thus allowing them to search various areas simultaneously to cover more ground in a shorter period of time. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath, hoping that once the prince was found, he would not be harmed.

As Aragorn ran, he became overwrought with fear. He was horrified with what Legolas had attempted. He knew the elf had been engulfed by depression, but he did not know it was pulling at him so desperately and the prince had thought the best option for himself was to utterly give up. He was glad that Gimli thought quick enough to disarm the irrational elf, but knew other lethal instruments were easily available if the prince was determined to follow through.

He ran through the kitchens calling out softly to his friend, but no one was there. The king looked about, taking particular notice to the chef's knife blocks that rested on the counters and making sure all cutlery were accounted for. Nothing was missing, for which he was glad, but his fears were not squashed in the slightest. There were many other places that needed to be checked and the man moved quickly to the next area to search on.

He looked about his study and then made it to a few lounging rooms and courtyards, but still, he could not uncover the elf. His heart was pounding now with anxiety. He knew if the elf did not want to be found, he would tuck himself away…. or leave the palace all together as he had done earlier. If that was the case, they would either have to create an extensive search party and have every inch of the city looked over, or they would have to wait until the elf brought himself out.

Aragorn would not wait.

The king stalked toward the Great Hall of Fire and poked his head into the large room, giving it a quick check to see if he could find the elf. He had no real hopes of finding the prince in there since it was so open and public. He knew what was going on in his friend's mind and he understood this area would be the exact opposite of what Legolas was seeking, but for the sake of not leaving one place unturned, he took a quick peek.

The man's eyes swept the area quickly and he suddenly jerked in surprise when he did find Legolas. There, in front of the fireplace watching the dwindling flames of the dying fire, the elf sat silently. From his vantage point, all Aragorn could see was the top of his friend's head, being that the elf settled on the floor. The rest of his form was blocked from sight by the large couch that was positioned in front of the hearth.

The man stepped back into the hallway for a moment and let out a massive sigh. Legolas was found. He did not know yet if the elf made any attempts to sabotage his own life, but took a moment to let his frenzied worry calm a bit and thought about how to approach the situation. He was frantic just a moment ago and now that the elf had been found, his panic was draining away, but was being replaced by a great unease. It was time to have a talk with the elf, a real talk, and get to the bottom of everything. Ideally, he would have liked to wait until the elf was in a more stable mindset, but they had been holding off for weeks now and it was getting them nowhere.

Arwen turned a corner and saw Aragorn standing by the threshold of the great hall. She ran forward to talk with him and he looked up, slightly surprised to find her up and about.

"Estel. I have searched the library and the garden. He is not there!"

Aragorn held his finger to his lips as his wife approached. He took a few steps closer to her to help close the distance between the two before he spoke. "I just found him. He is in there." Aragorn pointed to the hall and the lines of frantic worry melted from Arwen's face after hearing this.

"Is he ok? He did not… He isn't..."

"I do not know. I think he is unharmed, but I'm going to go talk to him. Go find the others and tell them to call off their searching."

Arwen nodded, but her lips began to tremble as she pulled away. Aragorn softly reached for her, pulling her back to speak again quietly. He looked into her eyes and saw the beginnings of tears and he pursed his lips into a knowing frown as he assumed what she was thinking.

"Arwen, 'tis alright. He has been found and we are going to help him."

"How has it come to this?" She whispered trying to banish the thickness in her voice. Aragorn could not answer her question and placed his forehead against hers trying to connect with her.

"Just go find the others and tell them he has been found and I am with him. It will be well." Aragorn hoped he was not lying with that last statement. Arwen nodded uncertainly while Aragorn placed a quick kiss on her brow and he watched as she turned to leave on her new mission. With a quiet, deep breath to prepare himself for the task at hand, the king turned to the hall.

Aragorn approached the sofa with stealth and caution trying to gauge how to announce himself to the oblivious elf. He peered over the plush furniture to analyze his friend's appearance, but to his slight relief, he could not find any outward signs of an injury on the stooped form of the woodland prince and he watched for a moment. Legolas went unmoving for quite some time and just stared off into the few licking flames and glowing coals that provided limited light to the spacious hall. The elf took a shuddering breath as though he were fighting tears and the man shook his head to himself with worry.

"L-Legolas?" The man's stammered whisper caused the elf to flinch slightly, but Legolas did not turn to look at his friend. His slouched posture drooped further as his quiet place had been found. Aragorn did not know how to continue. Legolas did not even regard him. He was shutting down and was locking everyone out.

Aragorn began to round the couch and crouched beside the elf. Still, Legolas did not even acknowledge the man and the look of forlorn worry and confusion on the wood-elf's face seemed to deepen.

"Legolas? _Mellon-nin_?" Aragorn called out and he began to evaluate the elf from this side. His eyes sought the prince's hands that were resting in his lap making sure the prince had not damaged himself. He reached out to grab one of the elf's hands and hiked up the sleeve of the white linen sleeping shirt. The man glanced at the wrist while turning the palm over to look at the vital area for any trace of a cut.

Just as quickly as the man turned his wrist over, Legolas pulled his hand back. He wrapped his arm around his stomach and tucked the hand under his other arm to hide it. He knew what the man was looking for and his self disgust flared quickly. He could not believe he had attempted such foolish, selfish actions and regretted that he let himself get this far. Aragorn had been trying for weeks now to help him, but he simply could not bring himself to open up, thinking that if his problems and feelings were hidden, it would all disappear. But now he was beginning to realize how stupid it was.

The elf took in another deep breath and turned his face slightly from his friend. He could not face Aragorn right now. He knew the look of deep disappointment that Aragorn was currently wearing and he couldn't stand to see it at this moment.

"Legolas… please…" The man's halted words did not need to form a full sentence for the elf to understand what Aragorn was requesting. He wanted the elf to face him, he want the elf to open up, talk, confirm he was ok… but Legolas could not fortify any of those notions. He was far from alright. Even if he said he was, he knew the man would not believe him and Aragorn had every right not to.

Aragorn calmly took a seat on the floor beside the elf despite the writhing worry in his heart.

"Please Legolas-"

"I'm sorry Aragorn." The rough whisper was really a choked sob that the elf was trying to contain.

"Legolas, what happened?" The careful and easy words were now stern as the king half pleaded, half demanded an answer. He was still slightly in shock and was anticipating the elf to deny what happened, that somehow the dwarf had only seen things, or Aragorn heard Gimli's news wrong, but the longer he waited, Legolas' actions could not be denied, even without words.

"Was this the first time you have attempted this?" The man asked and Legolas nodded his head with shame. His bottom lip began to jitter as he concentrated on keeping himself impassive.

"Were you confused and thought you were still in your nightmare? Or did you really…. want to?" He asked.

Legolas did not move. He didn't really know the answer to it. He acted without thinking. He was aware he was no longer in the world of dreams, yet reality seemed so far away at that moment.

Aragorn reached across the prince's lap and grabbed his other hand that rested there. The king pulled it closer to him so he could inspect the svelte wrist. Legolas tried to pull back like he did the last time, but the man firmly pulled at the appendage and would not back down.

He pushed the sleeve up, slightly exposing the soft flesh of Legolas' wrist and the light scratch that was appalling to see grace the elf's body. Blood was not drawn, which was a small mercy, but there was a slight groove in the smooth skin, voicing the truth that Aragorn did not want to believe. With a grim look, the king released his hold and the elf pulled it back to himself quickly and quietly.

"Legolas, we need to talk. I have gone against my better judgments in allowing you to distance yourself from us, hoping all you needed was some time, but the further we have let you go, you prove it is not enough and you keep pushing back. I will not let you get out of this _mellon-nin._ I cannot allow you to continue like this."

"I do not know what happened Strider..."

"Did you feel like that was your only option?"

Again, Legolas just sat there and neither confirmed or denied the statement. At the time it felt like it was, but now he knew that was not so.

"I was just being an idiot and acting as fool..." Legolas muttered.

"Was it a conscious decision?"

Legolas refused to speak and shook his head with uncertainty, indicating that he was at a true loss rather than answering to the negative.

"Legolas, why are you so withdrawn? You used to talk to me… about anything and everything! But now you are... hiding. And it is not just me, you will not talk to anyone; Elladan, Elrohir, Gimli..."

The prince looked to the floor and studied the ornate pattern in the area rug beneath them. He did not want to talk about this. He went back to his old habits and just wanted everything to be forgotten. He was burning deep inside as this topic kept coming to light despite how hard he tried not to bring it up. He did not want to have this conversation now. He was drained and distraught and really didn't have the energy to talk about it or try to deal with his emotions at the moment and the prince sighed.

"I do not know Strider. I am sorry." The prince tried to brush it off, but the man was determined to talk to his friend.

"Yes, Legolas, you do know."

"I do not wish to talk about it."

"You need to talk about it!" The man countered sharply. His worry peaked and he was getting tired of tiptoeing around the subject. "You cannot keep this all inside. It is... it is killing you! You are fading and we can all see it happening! And now you have attempted to end your own life?!... No _mellon-nin,_ we need to talk… now."

Legolas had very little reaction to the words and he kept his eyes on the rug. He knew he was fading and had even wanted death, but seemed not to care any longer. The prince's eyes shimmered as moisture appeared on the brims and the elf casually turned his head again to try and hide his face.

The man rolled his eyes in frustration as he saw the subtle way Legolas reacted. He took a moment to collect himself.

"I am sorry Legolas, I did not mean to get short with you, but, it is the truth. You need to open up about this. We need to try and find a way to help you. You are suffering and it is costing you your life. I cannot sit here and watch you fade away or inflict injury to yourself out of desperation. I know you do not want to talk about this, but I think, at this point, there are no other options, unless you have any ideas... We need to understand you and what you are going through in order to help."

The man reached out and placed his hand on the prince's knee trying to grab his attention. The elf turned and stared that the hand, but would not look Aragorn in the eyes.

"Why can't you open up to us?" The man asked. Legolas' breath caught as he tried to take a deep breath.

"I do not know... Really I do not..." He felt ashamed and could not bring himself to talk about it. After his dangerous and reckless behavior, a small part of the prince now wanted to open up; he craved an understanding from someone, but how to get it was beyond him. It was so much easier to just keep silent on the matter. He hated feeling like this and just wanted everything to go back to normal.

"Alright, then... let us work through this. Why are you distancing yourself from us? Why won't you talk to us?"

The prince finally looked to the man and saw the concern in Aragorn's eyes. It felt as though Aragorn could see right through him with that gaze and could see the mountain of depression and disgust inside. He was uncomfortable and shifted under Aragorn's scrutiny and knew this time the man would not relent until he gave in. The prince turned inward as he looked away, trying to find an explanation deep within that could tell the man what was wrong, but he did not fully understand it himself.

Aragorn's gentle encouragement reassured the prince and he felt his lips move despite not wanting to talk.

"I feel like..." The prince spoke softly but stopped as he could not come up with the right phrasing. "I feel like everyone knows already… so what is the point in talking about it?"

This was not what the man expected to hear, but it was a good start. The man shifted to face the prince a little better and he motivated the elf to continue.

"What do you mean?"

"Every time I am around others... especially your brothers... Every time they simply look at me... I feel like they know what happened... that they can see my..." The prince pressed his lips together. The words were on the tip of his tongue but he could not let them free to voice what he had been through, even though Aragorn had knowledge of his shame and humiliation. The prince dropped his head and shook it trying to indicate he did not want to continue.

Aragorn felt a stab of remorse go through him. The twins already knew- by Valar, he was the one that told them! If he wanted Legolas be honest with him, he needed to be honest with the elf.

"_Mellon-nin_... They do already know." He said quietly. Legolas looked to the man with confusion.

"What?!... They do?! How?" The prince was breathless as mortification began to set in. He started to flush, realizing it was absurd to think that they would not. This whole time, they knew exactly what was done to him and he felt his insides coil up in disappointment. He thought he had been careful not to speak of it and worked so hard to prevent his matters from going public. And if the twins knew and could tell just by looking at him, who else knew? Did everyone know? Was he really that tainted?

"I am so sorry, but... I told them. I needed them to know so they could have an understanding so we could all help you."

The elf's jaw fell agape slightly in shock.

"*_You_* told them?!... you told them *_what_*?" The look on the elf's face was bewildered consternation as he looked at the man straight in the eyes.

"...That you were…" Than man's words trailed off as the elf's horrified expression was locked on to the king's, dreading what was going to be said. Aragorn swallowed hard before he laid it all out on the table with a single word. Holding back is what got them into this mess and he pushed himself to talk. "Raped."

He stopped abruptly as the elf visibly flinched with the single word. What little color had been in his features had completely vanished and he appeared to be having a hard time breathing.

"You *_told_* them?!" The elf was quickly becoming distraught. "You told them of... *_this_*? You told them about my weakness?! My disgrace?!... Strider!" The elf was on the brink of tears and each passing moment only fueled his agony.

The man held his hands out to try and placate with the elf. "I am so sorry, I did not do it with any other intent than to help you. I did not go into the details, nor did I tell anyone else, but Elladan, Elrohir and Arwen do know... And they have been trying to get through to you so they can help. They are worried about you and wish to see you recover."

"I cannot believe this!" The elf moaned as he dropped his head to his hands.

"You do not need to be ashamed that they know, or embarrassed. We are family... you are like a brother to Elladan, Elrohir and Arwen, as well as myself and they needed to know."

The elf just shook his head. He felt betrayed as a new and greater wave of self disgust washed over him as the news of his defilement was made known to others. A flair of panic rushed through the elf and he stiffened. The trapped sensation came back as he realized he didn't have as much control of this as he thought and his first reaction was to get away. The elf began to stand, but Aragorn reached out and gripped his wrist.

"Where are you going?" The man pulled the elf back down to the floor and kept a firm grasp on him as the elf began to twist his wrist to break the hold.

"Let me go!... I need to go! I cannot-" a sob cut his pleas off as tears began to fall from his wide eyes. The tremendous shame and debasement were beginning to eat at him again, but this time with a vengeance. He tried to pull free from his friend's grasp, but no matter how hard he tried to twist away, he found he was not strong enough to break the man's stern hold. His mind went ballistic as his screaming instincts told him to get away, but he could not.

Aragorn brought the elf close, wrapping his arms around the resisting elf and pulled his friend into a tight hug.

Then, the man's alarm grew. The elf in his arms felt unnaturally thin. He knew Legolas had not been eating properly and had only picked at food here and there, but the once slender and lithe prince was becoming gaunt and weak. He hadn't noticed the massive effects it was having on the elven strong body as the prince was constantly cold and kept heavier layers on him. He could now see how far the prince had been allowed to neglect himself and the man's assessment on the situation only brought about more reason to worry.

The elf began to tremble and resisted against his friend, but the man ignored it as he rocked Legolas to try and ease the elf as he gasped for breath. The prince's emotions were beginning to boil over and they fought even the most basic functions within his body.

"I am so sorry Legolas. Believe me, I did not do this with any intent to harm you. You need help and I have been trying to give it to you, but I have been at a loss on how... *_I_* needed help. I know I should have come to you first, but I did not want you to close yourself off further. Elladan and Elrohir do not think any less of you for what happened and they are trying to find ways to help you and comfort you. That is why they keep hovering over you. They want to understand so they can better help and protect you... as do I."

Legolas' struggles became slack as he listened to the words Aragorn spoke. Though he was able to restrain the rest of the tears, he was unsure how he felt with the news that he had just been told. The despair inside grew and the only thing the elf could feel was numbing confusion as his emotions, disappointment, fears and worry were pushed to a new height.

"Tell me Legolas... why do you resent them the knowledge of this?"

The prince's voice was rough as he tried to choke back the sobs that were beginning to build again.

"It is not just them Aragorn! I don't want anyone to know of it! I just want it to be forgotten about and to move on, but it keeps coming up no matter how hard I try to keep it from doing so... I do not wish to talk about this any longer!" Legolas tensed up further in the man's arms while his breathing hitched into a quickened frenzy and he began to struggle once again.

"Legolas, this cannot just be forgotten. Whether I or others know about it or not, *_you_* would still have to deal with it on your own and it would not "just-go-away". That is not how healing works... a wound of this nature cannot simply be covered up to heal. You need to open up and let us in to help you rather than suppress everything and live in constant misery."

The elf pulled back with urgency and began taking in rapid hysterical breaths as he gulped for air around the mountains of despair in his chest that were beginning to topple over. Another attack to his airways was underway and the elf's distress only heightened. He could feel the crushing weight of his tense muscles about his chest and his straining lungs were screaming with need for air that was being drawn in too fast to be of any use. Reality was wavering again as the hazy yellow spots were returning to his eyesight. They floated lazily in his line of sight while his vision began to darken and narrow. Despite the close bond he had with Aragorn, the vulnerability in the prince flared and the man suddenly felt uncomfortably close. The elf was starting to lose his grip with reality and he wanted to get away.

Aragorn eased his embrace, realizing that the elf was fully panicking now but kept a constant firm grip on his biceps to hold Legolas in place. He watched with worry as the elf hyperventilated. He had never seen the strong and regal prince so agitated and panicked in his life and while he knew this reaction was not life threatening, he was startled nonetheless.

"Legolas, calm down..." the man soothed but the elf was too worked up to hear him.

"Stri-der… I.. can't… breathe!"

"Yes you can Legolas. Your own anxieties are attacking you. You need to calm down."

But the elf's distress was not easing and he began to claw at his neck as if he were trying to remove something.

"Legolas, stop. There is nothing around your neck. You are going to hurt yourself." The man grasped the elf's hands to keep his nails from raking against his neck and shoved them in elf's lap. Aragorn placed his own hand on his friend's chest and rubbed it slowly while he talked the prince into calming down.

"Come on Legolas, you just need to breathe… in…. and out….. in…. and out." He tried to voice a pace for the elf to match but the spastic breathing only continued despite the elf trying to take the man's advice.

Though he was a mortal, Aragorn reached out with his healer's ability and was able to find a weak thread of a connection to Legolas. Using that small line, he attempted to infuse the prince with as much calm will as he could pass to his friend.

"Breathe Legolas. Just calm down and breathe." Aragorn kept repeating and slowly the hiccuping breaths became more regular. After a few long tense moments, the prince could actually draw in air on his own. Legolas slumped and held his head in his hands while he panted, this time with ease.

Aragorn pressed two fingers to the elf's throat, feeling the rapid pulse and monitoring it for a time. While the beat was slowing down, it was still far too fast and the man sat in silence for a long time with the elf until Legolas could further calm down.

After seeing Legolas become so distraught, he feared trying to press onward. Perhaps he was not the one who could talk to the elf. Yet, Aragorn knew of no other person that would be of any help in this situation and he just sat there at a loss as to what to do.

"_Mellon-nin…. _I think _*that* _just further demonstrated the fact that you need help. You have been holding all of this in for far too long. It is unsafe and unhealthy… You need to open up. And I think you know it too. You do not have to open up to everyone, but you need to open up to *_someone_*. If you cannot trust Elladan or Elrohir... or even me, then we need to find someone you can talk to so we can get you the help you need."

"I-I do not know if I can trust anyone." The elf dropped his gaze as he mumbled the words with another interruption as a residual spasm caught in his breathing.

"You don't trust me?" The man held onto hope that the trust and friendship between them had not been destroyed, but after the elf's quite comment, he felt stricken with reality. He didn't blame the prince after he had told his brothers of Legolas' very private and personal information, but he could not help the feeling of hurt and loss in his own heart as he regarded his friend who he had come to love as a brother. Legolas did not trust him and that seemed to hurt far worse than any wound he ever sustained in his life.

Aragorn's fears were laid to rest quickly however as the elf took in a deep breath to speak again. Relief flooded the man despite the confusing nature in which the elf was speaking and battling himself for words.

"I-I do *_trust_* you… that's not what I meant… I-I just don't... I don't know..." The elf's feelings and emotions were tangled into a tight ball and he could not think clear enough to sort it out. It was just a giant jumble inside and had no idea how to pick it apart to deal with it internally, let alone speak about it. Aragorn noted the inward struggle and did his best to coax the elf to speak his mind.

"Just talk to me... what is in your heart?"

"I…" The prince had to halt for a moment to gather his breath. The stress was still crushing him, but he was determined not to lose control of himself like he had just done. When he felt like he had enough breath in him to speak, and his emotions were harnessed for the moment, he spoke slowly and calmly. "You should not have to deal with all of this. You should not be weighed down by this - by me."

"Legolas, we have been over this many times before. You are doing no such thing. And this does not have to be a big secret kept from me... I know what happened. I may not have seen the acts, but I am very aware of what was done to you. I think I understand you better than you know and can help you through this if you give me a chance to. But like I said, this is not a burden to anyone. *_You_* are not a burden to anyone."

Aragorn paused to let the words sink in.

"I feel like a burden..." Legolas' tone was low.

The man clenched his jaw. Nothing the man was saying was getting through to the elf and he was getting frustrated.

"Tell me, have I ever been a burden to you?" The man asked. The elf picked his sights up to man uncertainly, but shook his head.

"Okay, was I burden to you when I..." The man thought hard for a moment to recall a particular situation from their past. "When I... realized my true feelings for Arwen... and it drove a huge wedge between my father and I?... Do you remember traveling with me as we patrolled the north lands aimlessly and you listened for days... *_for weeks_* about how I was troubled and did not know what to do?"

The elf nodded at the memory.

"And did I ever feel like a burden to you then?" Aragorn continued.

"No. But that was different." The elf breathed as he looked back to the fire.

"No it was not!" The man shook his head. "I was emotionally distraught and feared losing my father's love as well as the love of my life and had nowhere to go and I felt like I could not talk to anyone. I showed up in Mirkwood at a god-awful hour of the night and you were quick to leave your royal duties behind to follow me blindly just to make sure I was ok. You talked to me and helped me through it... and you know what?... you may not have had the answers I was seeking, but you listened and offered your support, which was what I needed probably more than anything."

The elf looked away and shook his head as if he still did not believe what Aragorn spoke.

"Okay... how about the time we... we were in Rohan right before the Urki attacked? Theoden thought we had a strong, fighting chance against them, but we knew we were sorely outnumbered... you were trying to talk to me, trying to reason with me and come up with some sensible plan as I had given in to follow Theoden and his wishes... but I ended up taking my frustrations out on you in front of all those people... Did I feel like a burden to you then?"

"No." The elf muttered.

"Or how about *_any_* time we have been out in the wilds and I got my sorry neck in a heap of trouble and could not get myself out... All of the skirmishes with orcs, all the run-ins with goblins... or the time I was captured by a troll! You always came at the right moment and saved me numerous times and have even placed yourself in the line of danger to save me when I was too stupid, reckless or weak to help myself... did I ever, during any of those times, feel like a burden to you?"

The elf shook his head.

"And there were the times when my mortality got the best of me. When I would become sick on patrol, or if I was ever wounded, you took care of me or got me to a healer who could help me. How about then?"

"No Strider... you have never felt like a burden to me."

"So how is this any different?... Why would *_you_* be a burden to me?" The man pleaded with the elf, trying to get Legolas to shed any bit of light on this and why he was a so-called burden. The elf did not move or speak so the man spoke for him. "It is not any different, Legolas."

The king stood to his feet for a few moments and walked to the fireplace. He let the elf digest his words while he tended to the dying fire. After throwing a few logs onto the hearth and poking the hot coals to remove the soot and ash to re-stoke the blaze, he turned back and took up his seat beside Legolas once more. The talking did not start right away, but Aragorn began to pick up in more or less the same place and dug deeper on the issues that were afflicting the elf.

"I have seen in you that you are restless and are never at ease. I know dealing with what happened has been difficult to say the least, but, it is almost like you do not..." The man paused to think of the right words. "... You do not feel safe here..." Aragorn cocked his head to the elf to gauge his reaction. "What is plaguing you?" He asked.

The elf narrowed his eyes almost sadly as he kept his gaze on the fire. Strangely, the man was right, and yet that was not the case at all. He let out a heavy sigh in frustration. He was at a loss.

"Why do you not feel safe here?" The man pressed. He seemed to hit the mark with the accusation. The elf brought his knees to his chest and crossed his arms over top of them, creating a comfortable perch to rest his chin as he thought.

"I cannot explain it..." Legolas began to say but stopped and worried his lower lip with his teeth for a moment. He was not sure how to put into words what he felt inside nor did he want to admit that the king's proud symbol of his mighty and strong realm terrified him. The pressure in his chest was building again in time with his mounting frustrations and anxiety and he took another deep breath to try and expel the tightening in his chest.

The man kept quiet and waited the prince out. Legolas was beginning to open up to him and he would wait and hear Legolas speak at his own pace. When the prince drew in a shaky breath, the man placed his hand on the elf's back and rubbed it lightly, offering his calm presence to prevent another panic attack. The man cringed internally as he could feel the bony frame of the elf with every pass of his hand over the prince's back, but he remained composed. He would come back to this issue later.

"I feel safe here... or rather, I know I am safe here." the elf whispered.

"But?"

"But I feel... trapped?" Legolas asked himself out-loud. He inclined his head while it continued to rest on his knees. He looked at the man to see if he was making any sense.

"Okay. Why do you feel trapped?"

"Because, I just feel like I cannot be helped..."

"You can be helped if you allow yourself to be helped, _mellon-nin._"

The elf shook his head at the man's words and redirected his gaze to the fire. It looked so much like the fire that was burning brightly the night in the cave and his thoughts turned back to that hurtful, confusing night. It felt as though he was back there, this was all fresh and he could almost feel every ache in his body and strange men about him again... the elf shuddered and began to rub his wrists as the dull pinching could be felt as though restraints had been place upon him once more. He added his hasty movements to chase away the feeling brought on by memory.

"Legolas?" The man watched the elf closely and became concerned with how distant the prince instantly became.

"I.. I honestly feel like I do not deserve the help..." The elf turned back to the man and Aragorn caught a glimpse of helplessness and sorrow in the prince's eyes.

It was the same look he had had seen not too long ago when Legolas was originally found. He saw a flash of the beaten, terrified elf before his eyes, huddled in the cavern, knees drawn to his chest, trembling out of fear and pain.

The image was gone in an instant, and he was left looking at his friend as he was now; emotionally strung-out, knees drawn to his chest, trembling out of fear and emotional pain.

An understanding overcame the man and he realized the elf was still utterly tormented by his abduction as his memories were too real and too painful. He was not only depressed due to the self inflicted shame and guilty feelings of bringing his friends down. In a sense, Legolas was still a prisoner to his captors will and try as he might, his mind could not let go despite fully realizing he was safe and the slave traders who had been selling him ceased to exist. Aragorn's heart wrenched knowing that his friend was struggling through this. He halted his soothing rub upon the elf's back and moved his hand to Legolas' shoulder, giving it a light squeeze and bidding the elf to talk further.

"I feel like I should have been stronger than that." Legolas whispered. "I should have been able to prevent it from happening in the first place, but I was not able to..."

"And that equates to you not deserving help?" Aragorn asked. He was trying to follow his friend, but he could not wrap his head around the elf's logic.

"It is simply inexcusable... I have always been regarded as a top warrior. I have been able to fight in battles and come out unscathed, yet two men can overpower me and... and break me? Am I really that incompetent?… That weak?"

The prince shifted his position and crossed his legs in front of himself. He ran his fingers through his hair at his scalp, gripping fist-fulls of the blond tress as he bowed his head and held it in that manner. The disappointment within came to life as he, a prince of a great strong race, Lord of an up starting realm, a figure to his people of power and strength, had been destroyed so easily and so shamefully. The prince took in a sharp intake of air as a sob threatened to leave his mouth, further proving his weakness.

"Has my whole life been a fluke?... " The prince did not really expect an answer to that, but he could not comprehend how this happened and that seemed to be logical to him at the moment.

"Legolas, you do not need to punish yourself for what happened! By the stars!... This self-loathing has got to stop. It is going to destroy you. Things happen and you cannot always control it -"

"I should have been able to control that. If I am as strong as everyone thinks I am, as I have even lead myself to believe, I should have been able to prevent my capture in the first place."

"Stop this! Just because this happened doesn't mean you do not deserve help and healing. That is completely absurd!" The man looked to the elf with a rattled look and shook his head. "You fought in many battles in your life and came out unscathed because you *_are_* a strong warrior and skilled fighter... but even people as strong as yourself can fall due to the simplest of circumstances because it is out of one's control... I do not mean to gloat, but I believe that I am a decent warrior as well, but there have been times that I have fallen and had to rely on others to help me."

The man halted his speech and watched his friend closely as single tear left the prince's blue eyes and the elf brushed it away with his fingertips.

"Legolas... please believe what I am telling you." He reached out and placed his hand on the elf's shoulder again, extending his support to his now trembling friend. "What in the world has gotten into you that has made you think these absurdities?"

The man could not believe that the prince had been living with this much inner pain and Aragorn blamed himself for not fully seeing it before. He should not have waited this long to talk to the elf about this. So much hurt and self doubt could have been prevented. He finally understood the major cause of his friend's mental dejection and it was a massively complicated mix of feelings, and memories; and that was probably the tip of the unseen mountain.

He scooted closer to the elf and watched as Legolas worked hard to conceal his emotions once again that were on the brink of crumbling. Somehow, the kind words he spoke only caused the elf to hurt further rather than help and the man's brows furrowed in worry. The prince took in a quick breath and held it while the muscles in his jaw flexed with the strain of containing his emotions.

"Legolas… please tell me all that is bothering you. Do not hold back. Just let it out _mellon-nin_. Do not keep this inside."

In a single instant, the barriers around the prince completely fell and his calm demeanor gave way to silent, jerking sobs at the gentle words. Everything tumbled out of Legolas' quivering lips between compulsive gasps that the elf was trying with earnest to suppress, but failed. Liquid silver spilled over the brims of his eyes, trailing over his cheeks and dripping off his chin, causing the fabric of his shirt to become spotted in a darker shade.

"I-I just do not know what to do Strider. No matter what I do, I just feel so trapped. I feel like I am still there a-and cannot get away. I could not get away then, I-I cannot get away now... Nightmares torment me and they are so ... real... I can never get away from them. And it is not just in dreams that I am tormented so. Memories will surface out of nowhere, for simply seeing the symbol of your kingdom…. The beautiful tree with stars… I get a glimpse of it and it is as though I am suddenly being snapped back and... I can feel them, Aragorn." The elf turned his tear-sodden blue eyes to the man. "I can still feel them... I can feel the ropes on my wrists, the hands on me, the men near me, using me... I feel so... tainted and dirty deep inside... and utterly helpless. I-I cannot rid myself of this! I just want to get away from it all..."

Aragorn's eyes shimmered with tears of his own as the sobbed words were spoken. He carefully enfolded the elf into a tight supportive embrace while Legolas finally opened up and let everything out. The king pressed Legolas' head to his shoulder and one hand resumed his soothing rub to the elf's back, offering comfort to the prince in his desperate time of need.

"And then, when we were making our way back here and the men found us... they overtook me and if it was not for you, I would have ended up back in their custody, being a used for other's desires to make profit. I just feel like a burden on everyone since-"

"Legolas, we have been over this-"

"It matters not what you say Strider... I-I have heard you, a-and I know you do not feel like I am a burden, but the fact remains... because the men tracked us to recapture me, you and Gimli nearly lost your lives... and even now, you both are giving up your life to try and help me through this, but I-"

The man interrupted the elf as he began to guess what the elf would say next and wanted to put an end to the self-accusations of being weak.

"Legolas, we are not giving up our lives!" he interrupted the elf. The idea was completely ludicrous and could not believe the prince could actually think this.

"As far as Gimli and myself go, we killed some of their companions back in the town. I'm not saying we necessarily *_deserved_* to be attacked, but we had it coming to us... *_We_* brought that fate upon *_ourselves_* and it had... well,... it really did not have anything to do with you... yes we found you in their hands being mistreated, but I think weather we found you or not wouldn't have stopped our actions.

"The men who tracked us down were after all three of us, not just you, and I'm sure that what Gimli and I did is what spurred them on to hunt us, not the fact that you escaped. Do not - ever - place that blame on yourself again. Gimli and I were not harmed, you were not taken away... that was not your doing."

The two friends sat there for a long time and Aragorn let the silence work its own calm over the prince. He continued to support the Wood-elf while he rubbed his back in a slow soothing motion. The prince did not fight the man and this time allowed his friend to console him. Legolas clung to his friend's tunic as though he were grasping a life line. The quiet choked-weeping that overtook the elf continued and all he could do was let the man soothe him.

"_Ai_ Legolas… I am so sorry you have been living with this for so long." the man whispered into the delicate, leaf-shaped ear resting on his shoulder. "I wish I had known all this sooner, _mellon-nin_. I wish I could have done something for you sooner."

"What can you possibly do for this Strider? What can *_anyone_* possibly do for this?" The elf blurted out quickly between his sobbing fits.

Aragorn's heart was absolutely breaking and the man fought hard with himself to keep strong for his friend. Even as his own sobbing was kept in check, Aragorn could not contain the tears that escaped his eyes. He could feel the desperate way Legolas balled his fingers into the excess materials of his tunic and the man tightened his hold on his friend, trying to pass every ounce of love and support within his being to his friend.

"I can honestly say that I do not know." Aragorn whispered but he knew too well the sharp elven hearing could pick the words up anyway. "I could have been here for you - not let you suffer through this alone. You could have talked to me sooner and not let everything build up until you reached a massive breaking point. _Ai,_ Valar Legolas, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry my friend. I cannot even imagine the pain you have been going through on your own. I know this has hurt you, but I did not realize the full extent until now."

The guilt was overwhelming Aragorn and he felt solely responsible for letting the elf distance himself as far as he did. He should not have cared if the elf wanted it, or even if Legolas thought he needed to shut everyone out. Aragorn should not have let everything come to this.

The man continued to hold his friend for a long while. He subtly rocked the elf to try and ease some of the tension and kept himself quite and alert so he could be there for his friend. After what seemed like forever, the harsh sobbing had abated and the woodland-prince rested heavily against the man's shoulder letting the whirlwind of feelings calm down.

"I am so sorry I did not help you sooner, but I vow to help you now _mellon-nin_... Legolas, you said you wanted to get away from it all. Do you want to go home? Do you think that will help?"

The elf took a rattled intake of air as he pulled back from his friend. He wiped the streaks of moisture from his face and worked hard to control himself enough to talk without any interruptions. His breathing kept hitching spasmodically while he tried to take in deep breaths to calm down and Aragorn resumed sitting beside the elf and continued to rub his back and shoulders to comfort the elf. Speaking took some time, but the man could see how the prince was working on talking and he kept quiet. He did not want to rush the elf and would give Legolas all the time he needed to speak.

"I do not know…" the elf's voice was now rough from his onslaught of emotions, but he made the quietly spoken words as steady as he could.

"I can take you back to Ithilien if you think that will help."

Legolas nodded slowly before he spoke. "I do need to return..."

Aragorn squinted his eyes as he looked to his friend. The answer was factual, not sincere. "Legolas… there is a difference in *_needing_* to and *_wanting_* to… If you *_need_* to get back for reasons other than for help and healing then you do not need to get back. I know Ithilien must be weighing on your mind, but diving back into responsibilities at a time like this will not help you."

Legolas went unmoving at hearing this and the man became disappointed. That was exactly what Legolas intended on doing.

"Legolas I will take you back, I swear it, but only for healing, not work. Do you think Ithilien will help you heal?"

"It won't."

"Why not?" Aragorn's brows furrowed at the sudden rejection of the prince's own home.

"Because I just... it…" the elf just shook his head as he was at a true loss of words. He seemed to become rattled and the elf's jaw tightened as the moisture sprang back to the wide blue eyes, but did not fall. The elf's words were calmer than they had been and he spoke slowly. "I know not what to do and the indecision is consuming me. I feel as though this land is no longer home; Mirkwood has been left to the wilds, Rivendell is on its way to becoming that... And Ithilien... I know I call it home, but..." the train of thought dissolved as the elf took a deep sigh.

"But it does not feel like home does it?"

"It does… It just… I... " the elf was once again pushing back the flow of tears and he brought his fists to his eyes to try and find relief from the sparkling droplets. Another spasmodic intake of air jerked the prince's frame and the elf halted all conversations as he held his breath.

"What about here, Minas Tirith? I know you are already here and have been for a while, but I would love for you to stay..." The man offered.

Legolas pursed his lips as he thought for a moment. "A white city of pure stone is not a place that I would call a home. To be trapped behind these thick rock walls..." The prince shook his head. "Perhaps if I was a dwarf I could call it home, but-" He cut his statement off and shook his head again, this time a look of regret crossed his features. "Forgive me Strider... I meant no insult. Your home is beautiful, I just..."

Aragorn interjected. His voice, though stern, was compassionate as he tried to make the elf understand his point of view. "Legolas, there is nothing to apologize for. You need to tell me what is in your heart so I can help you. The last thing I would ever want is to talk you into a decision that would make you unhappy nor do I want you to make a decision just to make me happy. I would that those wounds on your soul healed. The only way that will happen is to find peace in your heart and give yourself time. If this is not what *_you_* desire, then this is not the right choice. Whatever you need, I want you to tell me so I can do all I can to help you."

The prince's lower lip began to quiver slightly as another tear slid down the elf's cheek. Legolas pushed it away with the back of his hand. The concern in the man's voice stabbed through him and guilt crept up at the longing in his heart. He already knew what his heart desired. He longed for the sea. But to give into his heart's wishes meant he would have to break his promise to his friend. How could he do that to him? Aragorn had already been upset with him for making that choice not so long ago...

And yet... Did he really want to leave?

He was confused to say the least.

"Where is it you wish to go?" The man pressed.

The elf looked to the hearth of the great fire place and watched the warm glow. His thoughts turned inward and recalled all the places that once brought comfort and joy to his heart. With a weary sigh, the elf spoke a single word.

"Home." The prince's voice sounded distant.

The man nodded. "Alright… And where is that?" The man watched the elf, but Legolas did not speak. He did *_want_* to speak. A sinking feeling began to creep across the man's mind and he straightened his posture as if preparing to take a blow. He hesitantly asked Legolas a question. "Is there any place on Middle Earth that you could call home?" the man whispered and his heart began to pound.

The prince turned his face to the man and Aragorn could see the unmistakable answer clearly in the depths of the prince's watery blue eyes.

The answer was no.

Aragorn dropped his gaze. "Do..." He could barely find his voice as a sudden lump formed in his throat. He swallowed hard before he could continue. The sting of tears assaulted the man's eyes as he forced his voice to work.

"Legolas... do you want to sail?" He looked to the prince and saw another single tear slip down his pale face as he too felt the warm drops of moisture leave his own eyes again. Legolas' emotional reaction was enough to supply the king with an answer and the man nodded calmly. He could not be selfish and deny the prince what he needed. He hurt knowing the prince had come to this, but if it was causing his friend this much pain, he had to cave and encourage the prince to take the path he needed.

"Then you need to go." Aragorn whispered. "You need to leave and find the peace to make you whole again."

"But I cannot leave..." The prince's voice faltered as his emotions were on the verge of spilling over again and he gulped.

"And why is that?" Aragorn asked.

"There are so many reasons Aragorn..." The elf shook his head

"Okay... What is one of them?"

Legolas' head dropped back to his hands and he held it bent low as if trying to shield his face from sight. He was rigid and tense and he was beginning to tremble once again. "The elves in Ithilien... I said I would lead them... If I go... If I sail, I will abandon them!"

"Legolas, you are hardly abandoning them. You have lead them - strongly - and have provided much hope and stability for those who did not wish to leave. There are others who are suited for the job... I mean..." The man thought for a moment of the numerous people who would be suited for the job. "You have... Elladan and Elrohir... That provides two right there! They are Elrond's sons... they know how to run kingdoms and lead people. They are well respected…. or so I hope they are well respected. With their gags and antics I think that might be questionable at times…. but, I digress. They hold a noble bloodline. So I cannot imagine that having them take over would be so horrible.

"And if not them, then you have... Valiändier, your second in command... He knows all the workings and ins and outs of your realm. I'm sure he could provide a smooth transition and be a strong leader for your people... And if those three are not good options, then... well... I'm sure there is someone suited for the task that I cannot think of at the moment... And it needs not be an elf, does it? I'm sure Faramir could undertake them as he is somewhat close by if you thought that would be a better choice... *_I_* would most certainly undertake them... Éomer might possibly undertake them as well... If you do leave, they will not simply be abandoned. Someone else could take over and they will be fine... in fact, they will still thrive, I'm sure."

The elf sat quietly in his hunched over posture, but he did not seem to relax. His head slowly moved back and forth, shaking it with either a negative response or uncertainty, but the man could not guess which one.

"Legolas, what is it?"

"What about my promise?" the elf mumbled. Aragorn looked perplexed and he cocked his head in thoughtful question.

"What prom-?" He sobered as he knew exactly what Legolas was talking about. "Oh Legolas… You don't expect *_me_* to keep you here against your will do you?!" Aragorn was floored that the elf would think him to be so cruel. Of course he did not want the elf to leave, he did not want to see anyone leave, but that was part of human nature and he could not let this destroy his friend.

"But that night in the cavern… What you said..."

The man took a moment to think over what was said. He closed his eyes with the pitiful realization that cut through him and was followed up with a pain of guilt.

"Legolas..." the man was breathless. The elf was struggling to remain here due to the frantic words he himself spoke the night Legolas admitted he could not carry on. "I said what I did because you were in no shape to be making rash, long-term decisions. You were weary, hurt, confused, scared... you had been through far too much. I was desperate to keep a spark of life in you until you could recuperate enough to make the *_right_* decision, not a hasty one. I regret what I said, for I was frantic to get through to you…. I will not lie, I want you here. I will always want you here just as I want Elladan and Elrohir here…. Just as I wanted my _Ada_ to be here. You are part of my family so for me, as a mortal, it is natural to want you here. But, if you need to leave..." the man's voice started to choke at the thought of Legolas leaving, but he forced it to remain strong for the sake of his aching friend. "If you need to leave, I understand and fully support your decision _mellon-nin_."

Soft tears began to leak from the elf's long dark lashes once more and the prince let out a massive sigh.

"Legolas, be honest with me... be honest with yourself... Do you want to leave?" the man asked. He knew the answer, but he wanted the elf to come to that realization and knew the words needed to be voiced to give them weight rather than become tormenting thoughts in his friend's head. However, Legolas shook his head and the man's brows knit in confusion. "I thought you wanted to leave..."

"I do... but I don't. My heart longs to go home, but home is not here. And yet, Middle Earth *_is_* still my home... just as you said, my family is here... and I cannot leave. I don't want to leave."

"You are torn then."

"The thought of staying here makes my heart heavy and I do not know if I can ever find joy here again... I... I want to. I want to be able to be at peace and find the strength to go on... I want it so bad... it… it hurts - deeply… but... I just... I can't." The prince took in a wobbly intake of air as he stammered once more for the right words to say. He tried to keep his voice calm as he told his friend all that was in his heart. "And yet... what if I regret leaving the moment I reach the Undying Lands? What If I am not happy there either? I know I long to sail, but I cannot imagine that sailing will make my troubles vanish. I will still know what happened. What if I am plagued there just as I am here?"

The bitter torment came back to Legolas and it felt like it was squeezing his heart. "Once I reach those shores... what if I do not find peace? How can I be certain that all of *_this_* -" The prince rubbed his chest where he could feel the longing and depression build. "-will heal?... Can I ever heal?... Anywhere? And if not, then why can I not be here and keep my promise?"

"Legolas, that promise-"

"No! I want to keep it! I want to stay here!" The elf's voice became thick as he began to mourn once more. "You are mortal and do not have forever like I do. Your time will be here all too soon! Can I not hold off the call of the sea a little while longer?"

"Legolas..." the man actually gave off a slight chuckle. "I believe you are off-ing me rather quickly in your mind. I am no simple mortal… remember that. As a Dunedin, I still have another one hundred years or so to my life."

"But it is *_only_* one hundred years..." the prince whispered miserably.

The man let out an easy sigh and smiled lightly to his friend. "What I feel to be a long time, is considered short to you, but I can assure you… one hundred years will not pass within a blink of an eye, even for an elf."

"But an end will come one day and why can I not hold off until then? A few years here compared to an eternity there? If I make the wrong choice and leave too soon… I can never come back. I do not want to regret leaving. I do not want to spend an eternity feeling like I made the wrong choice and wished I had spent your last remaining years with you, rather than remembering you from a distant land while you still lived."

Aragorn could feel the elf's plight keenly but he did not know what to do. "Then you agree that you are torn?... Instead of leaving, would you like to go to the shores just to see the ocean? Perhaps a visit will do you some good?"

"No!" the elf vehemently shook his head. "I know I cannot go there! I fear that if I even set foot on the beach, I'll never be able to tear myself away from it and I might give in."

"But if you give in, is that not a clear indication of what your heart truly wants?"

"It is not what my heart truly wants!" the elf wailed.

The man sat back and rubbed his forehead slowly. He completely understood what the elf was talking about, but he had no ideas how to help.

"Legolas, you know I will always be with you. Brothers are never truly separated. No matter how much time will pass nor how much the lands change, I will remain with you, right here…." Aragorn brought a closed fist to his own chest showing the prince that the spirit of brotherhood will always remain deep within.

"But it is not the same." he whispered and the man sighed.

"_Mellon-nin_... I do not know what to tell you. I wish I had some insight and wisdom that I could pass to you. I wish I knew what it is that you truly need, but this is not a decision I can make for you. *_You_* need to make this decision, but I promise I will fully support any choice do you make."

"I want to make the choice to stay here... but I do not know how."

Aragorn looked to his friend now with a new worry. He was about to speak when he was cut off by a light voice that piped up from the doorway. Aragorn turned suddenly to look over his shoulder to face the familiar voice with a small sad smile. He did his best to welcome the newcomer despite the heaviness in the room.

"Perhaps I could help... " Arwen stepped cautiously into the hall. She did not walk too far into the room and looked to her husband for a sign that she was permitted to enter. Legolas' head snapped up and he took a quick glance at the queen before he let out a huff in defeat, then looked to the fire. Aragorn nodded to Arwen, silently biding her to come over while he turned to his friend to reassure the prince.

"It's alright _mellon-nin_." He whispered and gave the elf's shoulder a reassuring squeeze of encouragement. Legolas already felt terrible for breaking down like this in front of Aragorn, but now Arwen?

With the ever so slight rustle of her silken robes, the queen made for the couch. She was clutching a soft, plush throw and while she walked, she unfolded it carefully. She sidestepped between the companions on the floor and the heavily cushioned couch where she took a seat behind the Woodland Prince.

Gently, Arwen draped the blanket over the prince's stooped shoulders, offering him a small token of comfort. She gathered his loose, long blond hair and pulled the ends of it from under the soft covering, allowing the blanket to rest more securely around the prince. She marveled briefly over the silky smooth softness of his locks and she ran her fingers through the ends of the flaxen hair to polish and straighten the appearance, then let the stands fall down his back.

"Greenleaf," She started hesitantly, but her voice held a pleasant, velvety warmth. "I will admit that I have been listening to the two of you talk for some time. I beg for forgiveness for doing such a thing, but please know I did it out of love and compassion. In no way am I trying to make you upset. I am disappointed that you feel like you have had to hide from us, but please, let us help you. Just as Estel has said, we love and care about you and want to see you recover. We will do anything we can to help you. I overheard you speak of the struggles and the hardships you are facing, but rather than fight your wishes to leave, why not work towards going to Valinor?"

"I do not want to go."

"I know you do not, but you could somehow work towards getting ready to go, without actually leaving."

Legolas shook his head almost as though he were confused and he rejected the idea because he did not understand it. "I do not follow you, nor do I believe that would work."

"Why not? You have not heard me out." Arwen said easily. "I know a little about running a kingdom and I have had more practice since becoming a queen. And I know it is no easy task, so I can speak from experience. Maybe you can attest to what I am about to tell you, for you helped your father run Mirkwood and you are leading a new realm yourself.

"I know how I get when there is a fast approaching deadline or an important meeting that I must prepare for. When I do not work on getting myself organized, I dwell on it; It fills me with dread and I honestly just want the meeting to come and go quickly. However, to wish time away is not only impossible, it is foolish. The Iluvatar has graced us with time to enjoy it, not toss it away.

"Rather than letting my anxieties consume me, I use it to fuel me. I keep myself busy with tasks until that fateful day arrives. I do some research, I talk with advisors, I write reports, I make meeting notes much like Estel does, and I am sure you do as well. While I am working, I know I am getting closer to my goal, but my nervousness goes away because I know that I am working to get myself to that point. Some days my workload is heavier than others, but I work at it constantly. Once I get prepared, I hold my meeting, and in the end, I feel satisfied that I did everything in my power to prepare myself for that day, all the while, keeping myself sane enough to reach my goal…. I…. I almost distract myself with the very thing that was causing me to worry to begin with. Does that make sense?"

"I understand, though I am not following…" the prince whispered.

"Well, I do not see how this is so different. Perhaps the situations are not mirrored in any way, and you are not trying to make a decision for the masses, but you feel a nervous apprehension inside when you do think about sailing, do you not? You anticipate the day to come and yet you dread it all the same?"

The prince nodded his head with skepticism.

"Then distract yourself with something... Work on a goal over a long period of time that will allow you to get closer to going to Valinor. You can work hard, find satisfaction in the work you do, and in the end you will feel better about the decision you make when the time calls for it."

The prince just continued to watch the fire for a while and did not speak. He was trying to find something right then and there he could work on, but he couldn't come up with anything at the moment.

A sudden idea came to the queen and she gasped lightly while a smile crept into her voice.

"Legolas... what if…. what if you build a ship?"

"What?!" both Aragorn and Legolas asked at the same time. The idea sounded outlandish to them, but Arwen calmly cut in before the idea could be outright rejected.

"Yes! Make that your goal and work towards sailing! You can work on the ship for a while and when you feel like the need to leave has been quenched for a time, you can return to Ithilien, or Minas Tirith or wherever you decide to go from here. Then, when you feel your frustrations build and you need a break, you can return to the ship and pick up where you left off. It will allow you to stay here, in Middle Earth, and you can still spend time with Estel, as you have voiced that is one of your wishes, and you could still lead your people as you desire. When you need to take a step back and focus on you, you can work on the ship. If it takes you a month to build it, so be it, it could take you a year, perhaps many years, but you can go at the pace you want."

"But... I know not how to build a ship..." Legolas halfway countered. A small part of him liked the idea, but his self doubt was still present and ate at him.

Arwen leaned in over the prince's shoulder and whispered into his ear lightly

"You would have to learn _mellon-nin_..." Arwen teased lightly then straightened up. "No one wakes up one day and just decides to build a ship and knows what to do. Craftsmen need to learn the trade and how to build a boat before they can even construct something of that nature." She could see the tension building in the young prince and she reached out to sooth him. Her fingers went back to his hair and she began to fondle it lightly, combing it through her fingers and pulling it away from the elf's face with her light contact.

Legolas closed his eyes at the touch and could feel the way Arwen was connecting to him. Strangely he did not feel the need to fight against the queen and allowed her placid and tranquil presence wash over him with an even gently flow.

"There are many people here that could help you learn..." Aragorn cut in and stated in wonder as the idea was still rolling around in his head, but was becoming more appealing the longer he thought about it. "There are many carpenters here in the city... I'm sure they could give instruction on how this could be done."

"And if not here, Then the city of Osgiliath might have a few shipwright masters for the city is on the banks of Anduin River." Arwen added as she began to weave the pail hair into the normal warriors braids she was accustomed to seeing the prince wear. Her fingers moved expertly as she gathered the crown of hair and worked on the intricate weaving, separating the sections of blond locks and twisted it this way and that so the braid would fall down his back. "Trade vessels port there all the time, do they not?"

Aragorn looked to Arwen with a large smile. His eyes met hers and the happy relief she found within Aragorn nearly brought tears to her eyes. Both turned quickly to Legolas as he let out another sigh and spoke quietly, this time his voice was a little steadier and was more than a whisper.

"And what if I finish it fast? What if I intend to stay here for years but I cannot tear myself away from building the ship?"

"I doubt you will be able to complete a boat from start to finish within a week… even a month." Arwen let the braid fall from her fingers. Just as she had let it go, it began to unravel since there were no ties handy to keep the braid in place. She lightly resumed playing with the prince's hair and helped pull the braid free and resumed running her fingers over his scalp and through the loose ends, aiding in becalming the prince's troubles. "You will have plenty of time to think about what your heart truly wants and by the time the ship is built, I think you will know in your heart what choice you want to make. And if you build it fast, then I think that will strongly voice what decision you will be coming to. And just because a ship is built, does not mean you have to leave."

"I… I don't know..." Legolas' brows furrowed but his eyes remained fixated on the fire.

"_Mellon-nin_… Why are you so worried?" Aragorn asked. It was heartbreaking to see the once proud and confident elf so lost and unsure of himself.

"What if I cannot do it?... What if I am not strong enough?" the prince's voice was once again a rough whisper and tears were beginning to well up in his eyes again. Aragorn pulled the elf close just as he had done before and resumed holding the golden head to his shoulder, bidding the prince to relax.

"What? You mean not strong enough to stay here?" Aragorn asked and he looked to his wife sadly as the wonderful idea she came up with was only bringing about more doubt and cause for worry.

Legolas nodded against his friend as his frame jerked softly. Aragorn knew the elf to be crying and he picked back up to assuage Legolas' deeply driven grief.

"What have I said this whole time? I will support your decision and I will make sure you get home safely. Believe me _mellon-nin_. I want the best for you."

"*_We_* will make sure you get home safely." Arwen added, letting the prince know she was in his corner.

"As well as us..." another voice sounded from the doorway as both elven twins and Gimli entered the room. Aragorn looked up in surprise yet was pleased to have them adding to the prince's support and looked to Arwen who did not seemed phased by their appearance. Apparently they had been with Arwen the whole time and probably overheard his entire conversation with Legolas as well.

Legolas buried his face into Aragorn's shoulder. "Oh Va-alar..." he hiccuped quietly. Was all of Middle Earth going to walk through those doors?

Aragorn turned his attention back to his friend and tightened his embrace. "Hush Legolas. Do not fret. They want to help. Just let them help you."

The twins came to kneel around the prince, but the wood-elf would not look up to them. They could hear the sobs coming from the elf and they too added to the embrace, wrapping their arms around both Aragorn and Legolas.

"Laddie," Gimli's gruff voice was as quiet as a dwarf could possibly make it. Instead of adding to the dogpile of bodies surrounding the prince, he rested a thick hand on the crown of the elf's head, trying to show that he too was in favor of lending support to the elf. "I hope ya' know that we are here for ya' an' we have been from the beginning. Whatever it is you need, ya' have tell us. No more hiding, alright?"

"We have been aching to help you for a long time and we will do whatever it takes." Elladan said.

"And if it means building a ship, by Eru, that is what we shall do!" Elrohir added joyfully, letting his excitement show through to try and chase away some fears within the woodland prince.

"See Legolas, we are all here to help you." Aragorn whispered again and the elf just nodded against him, but no one needed to hear the validation for the slight movement was felt by all. "Do you want to build a ship? Or at least try and see if that will help?"

Legolas took in a sharp quaking in take of air before his muffled response was heard by all. "Yes."

Tears began to streak down Aragorn's face with relief but he noted he and Legolas were not the only ones crying. Gimli could be heard clearing his throat with a few puffs of air and Elladan and Elrohir sniffled softly as they pulled back and watched their extended brothers. Arwen wiped a few drops away from her eyes. She, like the rest of room, was saddened that the woodland prince was lead down this path but was glad they could come up with an idea to help him, and relieved with the fact that Legolas accepted the idea and the help. She gave Aragorn a heartbreakingly bright smile who returned it, then he looked to the rest of the room.

Words did not need to be spoken, but each occupant had the same determination and willingness to help and they let it sternly show despite the mist in their eyes.

They had a long, rough road ahead of them, but each were ready to do what it took to find the peace Legolas needed.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

* * *

A few quiet hours had passed and the massive fire hall was in a lulled hush. Those who were present made hardly any attempts to speak or move, almost fearful if they did the tranquil peace would be broken. The fire looked as it usually did; it was far from a roaring blaze but it was steadily warm and cast a comforting easy light about the space.

Legolas was the only one fast asleep. Despite the fears and anxieties he was battling, purging some of his dark hidden feelings actually did the prince some good and he found a small bit of relief from the overwhelming desperation and hurt inside. His friends did all they could to soothe him and helped him to relax while each of them passed along their own placid will and strength. His festering soul found a moment of calm after the eruption of emotions and after a while the woodland prince was able to drift off to sleep while being held protectively against Aragorn's shoulder.

No one had the heart to wake the exhausted prince, even to take him back to his rooms where he could be place in a bed. Elladan and Elrohir went to work finding pillows and extra cushions that were not in use and piled them on the floor at the base of the couch to create a mat of makeshift, soft bedding. Legolas was slowly eased into the plushness and once he was positioned comfortably, he was covered with the throw Arwen provided. Gimli kept himself occupied with the fire and maintained it at the constant gentle level to keep everyone cozy in the spacious hall.

Aragorn sat beside his friend's head with his back leaning heavily against the straight and sturdy arm of the couch. His legs were kicked out and crossed leisurely at the ankle and he watched his wife's hand repetitively pass though Legolas' pale hair. He smiled sadly at the sleeping elf, recalling the heavy conversation they had just had. The king was now sorting his own emotions out. While he was relieved to have finally broken through to Legolas and was able to get him to open up, his guilt over everything that had been allowed to transpire was not easily squashed and he was now battling a great uncertainty of the future.

He could not believe that building a ship - something so simple, so great and so unique - might actually provide Legolas the best way to cope. He hoped it would work. One way or another, the much needed choice would be made, but he secretly prayed that Legolas could find the strength and will to carry on here, in Middle Earth. He meant what he said about supporting Legolas' decision to leave, but it took all of his self control to remain calm and strong for his friend's sake. In the end, whatever Legolas chose, he would be happy for the elf, but he hoped that once all was said and done, the final decision would leave both of them happy, not just one.

Aragorn tracked the slow gentle caress of Arwen's hand as it continued with the constant pass over the elf's head. Just as the soothing touch was calming to the elf, watching the movement helped calm the man and he found that despite the worry in the back of his mind, he had to fight against sleep. He could almost feel the familiar motion on top of his own head as he watched.

Arwen lay above Legolas, stretched out comfortably on the couch. Her head was pillowed by a tucked up arm and the other draped over the sofa to the floor where her hand found a slow gentle rhythm in which she stroked the prince's scalp and hair. Though she seemed relaxed and at ease, she was hard at work in trying to wash away as much hurt as she could. Even though he slept, Arwen could still feel the raw pain the prince had been struggling with by himself and she finally understood why he was having a hard time finding proper rest. Her easy presence and connection to the wood elf kept the nightmares at bay this night, and little by little she unloaded some of the emotional burden the prince kept bottled up.

She shifted her eyes to Aragorn who was reclined against the sofa's arm that her head was resting close to and the corners of her mouth twitched into a light smile. Aragorn was watching her hand's movements and every now and then, the man's head would dip then snap back up as he caught himself falling asleep. It seemed everyone fell victim to her spell and was glad it was working on the prince just as well as it did others. Her head rub was always put to good use when trying to bring comfort and relaxation to those in need and it was foolproof against Eldarian when he became cranky, her brothers found comfort in the same touch when they were uneasy and it worked wonders on her husband, especially after a long stressful day or if the king could not sleep. In the end, everyone would become as Legolas was now and she was pleased she could offer the prince a small reprieve from his anguish and could distract the routine nightmares this evening.

"I am proud of you Estel." A quiet male voice subtly broke the silence and all of the awake occupants looked in the direction of the speaker. Elladan was sitting in one of the two chairs on either side of the hearth. He was leaning into the back of the chair and his weary, half-lidded eyes locked on his human brother who returned the gaze with a question.

"What do you mean?" Aragorn whispered. Even as the soft words left his lips, he looked to his slumbering friend to check and make sure he had not waken him. When the prince proved to be sleeping, the king looked to his elven brother to hear the explanation.

"I know that was difficult for you, but you were able to tell Legolas he could leave and you supported his decision. Legolas needed that."

Aragorn shook his head with a frown. He did not deserve any praise for that. He still hurt knowing a lot of the suffering Legolas had been put through was due to his own words and the worry of breaking a promise. Though the promise made the man's heart swell with joy and comfort, Aragorn knew he should have never accepted the oath to remain here when Legolas pledged it so long ago, and furthermore, he should have spoken to his friend sooner so everything did not manifest into the emotional mountain.

"He deserves to have whatever he needs. No one should have to suffer themselves to the heartache of being deprived of what one's soul needs the most." Aragorn continued to whisper though he was no longer looking at his brother and he peered around the silhouette of the dwarf who was sitting on the hearth to watch the fire burn with no interest.

"Well, you did the right thing. Keeping yourself strong and composed while you supported his decision... I know you fear having Legolas leave, but you are making the right decision to let him go if he chooses."

Aragorn heard the words but did not say anything. He did not know what to say. He could feel the apprehension inside build with the thought of the uncertain future and he took a deep breath to ease the taught feelings.

"Estel?" Elladan heard the sorrowful huff and knew his brother was troubled. Aragorn looked up to his eldest brother and noted the Noldor-elf had leaned over in the chair to get closer to him so they could continue to speak quietly.

"I meant what I said..." Aragorn began but his brows furrowed as he looked again to Legolas and placed his palm on the prince's back lightly as if to make sure the elf was still here.

"I know you did." Elladan said compassionately.

"But I still do not want him to leave." Aragorn admitted.

Elladan nodded in understanding and flashed him a sympathetic smile. "Perhaps he will not. He now has the support system he needs and a wonderful plan of action. I know it is too early to tell, but he has hope… and he has you." The elven twin's smile deepened. "Why, your very name is 'hope' and that is exactly what you are and what you offer. Do not despair Estel. He has not left yet and he might not leave."

The man nodded wordlessly and closed his eyes to let the stress continue to roll off of him. He opened his eyes as a nearly identical voice chimed in, though from a different direction.

"Where do we go from here?" Elrohir asked. The younger twin was in the opposite chair of his mirrored sibling and was reclining sideways over the seat. His legs dangled over the arm on the plush chair while his back was leaning into the other.

"I do not know." Aragorn lightly shrugged. "I do not know if he should jump right in or wait a while."

"I think it would be wise to get some information first." Elladan cut in. "Perhaps you could do that Estel, so you can help him. Do you know of anyone who could aid in teaching shipwright skills? Or even a carpenter who can instruct on basic wood-working?"

Aragorn shook his head but stopped abruptly as his features went blank. They could tell a thought came to the man and he was pondering over it carefully.

"Actually… a few days ago someone came in and presented a case against a noisy carpenter in the city." the king said. Everyone's expressions lit up in surprise at hearing this.

"Do you know where the carpenter is?" Elrohir asked.

"No, but Faramir has the meeting notes. I'm sure he wrote it down somewhere."

"That is an excellent place to start." Elladan commented. "When you see Lord Faramir ask him for the information. If you need us to, El' and I can go investigate." He nudged his nose to his twin then looked back to Aragorn.

"Thank you, but I would like to go into the city and speak with him myself first. I want to make sure he would be able to provide everything we need- he needs." the king corrected himself and glanced back at Legolas.

It was then that Elladan realized there were two people in need of help and healing, though he was unsure if the man even realized the toll these last few weeks had on him and how the next few months could potentially take a lot out of him. The twin did not say anything just yet but retained the information for a later time.

"Please do not leave us out of this entirely Estel." Elrohir jumped back in. "I hated watching Legolas go through this and have to keep my tongue. I would like to help him."

"As do I." Elladan added.

"Ladds..." Gimli broke his silence and stepped into the conversation. "Do not be forgettin' that the lady's original idea was for *_him_* ta' build it." the dwarf pointed a thick finger to the sleeping elf. "This task needs to take time so he can come to terms with everythin' an' sort this mess out on his own, with our support readily available. We can help him, we can be around him, but we need to be mindful of our involvement so he can work on the ship an' not have us do it for him. We offer many hands and the task could come to a close sooner than needed if we all jump in an' work hard. I'm sure he'll be chompin' at the bit to get started and will push himself fast an' hard for a while, but Legolas needs to do this, not us, an' it needs ta' take time."

The room fell into silence for a while as the thickly accented words the dwarf uttered settled over everyone. Aragorn shifted slightly and recrossed his ankles to help fight the ache from sitting on the hard floor. He looked the three in front of him and became glad that they had eavesdropped, for it saved him from undertaking the task of explaining the conversation.

"How long were you all there?" the man asked out of the blue and no one spoke for a while as they were not sure what the man was asking.

"What do you mean?" Arwen whispered. She was so close to Aragorn's head that she did not need to speak loud for him to hear her and he glanced at his wife and placed a soft kiss upon her forehead before he leaned into her and placed his temple against her head. He let his gaze land about the space before them before he spoke for all could hear him.

"How long were all you out there listening to us talk?" Aragorn clarified.

Everyone looked to each other unsure if speaking on the matter was a good thing or not. They were all friends, in fact, they were all considered family so it did not feel like a crime had been committed but everyone was clearly uneasy with the notion of intentionally overhearing a private conversation.

"We were there for a while." Gimli admitted. "We arrived when he was stressin' about not being able ta' breathe and it took both Lady Arwen an' myself to hold these two back, for they wanted to rush in here and step in." The dwarf looked to the two elves on either side of him and mumbled to them. "I told ya' he was capable of helpin' Legolas, didn't I?"

Aragorn looked to his brothers who dropped their sights quickly and even in the darkened room, they seemed to flush slightly.

"We are sorry Estel." Elladan said quickly but his twin cut in and spoke the rest.

"We did not doubt your ability to help Legolas, but when we heard what was going on we could not simply stand by any longer and wanted to help."

"No… I am surprised... Tis' all… I did not know you were there that long. I am glad you were." Aragorn said smoothly. "You know everything I do and I think it will help down the road. You were there early enough, so I do not need to relay any missed information, for which I am glad. I do not think my heart could handle re-telling most of it, if any at all."

"Are you alright Estel?" Arwen asked while she continued fondling the sleeping prince's hair. She kept herself quite and alert to the wood-elf who seemed to be under her care for the moment. However, as talk turned to full conversation, she listened to those speaking. When they spoke about to her husband's well being, she could not just sit there and listen any longer.

"I do not know. I think so, but I just feel… guilty for not stepping in sooner."

"Estel..." Elladan's tone held a disappointed warning to try and halt the man's self accusations. There was already enough of that going on within Legolas and he did not want his brother to start walking in those heavy footsteps. "You did what you could, how you could. I fail to see how you could have handled this any better than you did. Tis' a shame it went on as long as it did, but blaming yourself is not the answer. If anyone is to blame..."

The twin took a deep breath. He did not want to say this but his thoughts were weighed by truth and he forced himself to point a finger in hopes of squashing another's self imposed guilt. "If anyone is to blame, then that goes solely to Legolas for doing this to himself. I know he has been hurting and speaking of this has been difficult, but you have only ever been there for him while he pushed you away. I do not exactly blame him for doing so, but if responsibility needs to fall on someone's shoulders, then it certainly does not go to you."

Aragorn looked away. He knew that to be the case but sometimes knowledge and feelings did not meet up and despite knowing that he did all he thought he could, he felt there was more he could have done.

"I just do not want to fail him." The man's soft voice had been reduced to a whisper, not from the concern of waking his friend, but a sudden constricting sensation worked its way into his throat while the familiar sting of tears sprang forward.

"Estel," Arwen whispered in the man's ear. "You will never fail him. This is his choice and one you cannot make nor persuade. You would only be failing him if you simply walked away from this and refused to help. But here you are, planning for his comfort and safety. You are hardly failing him."

With a deep breath to calm himself, he nodded his head a little as it continued to rest against his wife's crown. He tried to settle, but there was a restlessness beginning to build within the man and he fidgeted lightly until he gave up on seeking comfort in the silence and he quietly stood to his feet.

"Estel? Where are you going?" Arwen asked as she sat up on the couch and watched the man stretch.

"Early morning is upon us and I would like to see to some duties so I can be here." He nodded to the sleeping elf. He extended his hand to his wife to try and offer help in standing upon the furniture so she could step over the prince without waking him. "I'm sure Eldarion will be waking soon." He said.

Arwen looked to the windows that lined the room to try and gauge the time. It appeared to have stopped snowing but the cloud cover persisted and the vague traces of early morning light was hindered. Though it was still dark, she knew morning was fast approaching and she looked back to her husband and shook her head.

"It is still early Estel. He will be sleeping for a while longer. I will remain here for a time and leave when Eldarion awakens."

Aragorn easily nodded in agreement and as Arwen settled back in her former position to pick up her gentle ministrations, Aragorn turned to the others by the fireplace.

"I do not want Legolas to be left alone. I know he has opened up, but I do not trust his state of mind yet. After his self-destructive attempt, he needs to have someone with him at all times. I need to leave for a while but will come back to take charge as soon as I am able. Can you three look after him and coordinate care for a while?"

"Of course." Elladan stated without hesitation and his twin nodded to confirm.

"Thank you. Let him rest as long as he is able. I will station guards at the doors to keep others out so he will not be disturbed. I will make this as fast as I can."

"Do not rush yourself Estel." Elladan spoke. "I cannot speak for everyone, but I have nothing going on today and can stay here as long as needed. Do not make yourself crazy over this. He will be in good hands."

Aragorn took another deep breath realizing he was getting anxious over leaving his friend. He knew his brothers were just as capable of caring for anyone as he was and he let that knowledge settle him. "Forgive me. I am just worried. I know you will care for him."

The twins just smiled. There was no need for apologies.

After taking a final glance as his friend, Aragorn left the fire hall quietly and made for his office.

* * *

The king sat at his desk as was usual for his early morning routines, but this was far from a normal morning and the man sifted through one of many stacks of papers that littered his desk. He was on the hunt for a very specific piece of paper and it felt as though he had turned his whole office upside down in order to find it, but to no avail.

A light knock on the door halted the man's frantic and sporadic searching and he looked to the door quickly as the door opened and Anna stepped in at her typical time to drop off his early morning tea.

"Good morning, Your Majesty." Anna said calmly and made her way to the desk to set the tray down, but eyed the mess with a hint of surprise before she turned to locate another place to set the tray of food.

"You can set it on the hearth. Thank you Anna." the king said as he reached for another stack of papers to look through them. He had gone through these sheets once already, but he looked through the pages yet again to make sure he didn't miss the single sheet of paper he was looking for.

"We are just about finished cleaning up from the feast. I have my staff changing out linens in all guest quarters today. Lunch will be served at the usual time in the dining hall. We have a lot of leftovers from the feasting my lord. Would you like us to serve that for dinner tonight or make a new meal?"

"Um..." Aragorn said as he finished riffling through pages and set the stack down only to pick up a new one and began to search through the new pile. He remained quiet as his eyes caught a sheet of paper and he scanned the lines of handwritten scripts, hopeful he had located what he needed, but with a disappointed sigh, he shoved the pages back into the pile and resumed searching. He stopped however as he remembered Anna was there and had asked him a question and he looked up from his task trying to remember what she just asked him. "Pardon Anna, what did you ask me?"

"It was about the evening meal. I just wanted to know what it is you requested for us to prepare for you and your guests. We still have leftovers from the feats but if you would rather us make something else, we can certainly do that."

"Go ahead and serve the leftovers and if needed, the cooks can prepare more food to make sure there is enough. I know we have had the same dinner twice already, but I do not want the food to go to waste."

"Yes Your Majesty. Anything else you request of me today?"

"Actually, there is..." the man grabbed a new stack of papers as he spoke. "I doubt my wife, brothers, Lord Gimli and Lord Legolas will be at breakfast this morning. If that is the case, please have the kitchens prep breakfast plates for them and deliver the meals to the Hall of Fire… I also need you to track down Lord Faramir for me and have him meet me in my office. He may wait until after the breakfast hour, but I do need to speak with him after that."

"Yes my lord." Anna said with a bow of respect. "Is there anything else you request?"

"No Anna. That is all. Thank you."

Anna left the royal office without a sound and the king went back to work digging through papers. When he was unable to uncover what he was looking for from the mass amounts of scattered papers on his desk, he pulled more pages out from a cabinet nearby and scanned over all the pages. It was slow going and tedious work and Aragorn lost himself all early morning in his searches. He was not even aware of the passing time until a stern knock on the door pulled Aragorn out of his focus.

"Yes, come in!" He called out while he looked upon his desk and fully realized the actual mess he had caused and he sat back in his chair and rubbed his face with his hands. The person entered the office and halted just inside the threshold of the door.

"You requested to see me?" Faramir questioned. Aragorn looked to the Steward and nodded.

"Yes. Please come in. Take a seat."

Faramir did as told and entered the room. He cleared one of the chairs of the clutter that had been piled on the seat and stored them on the floor off to the side before he took a seat on the other side of the desk.

"Where were you this morning?" Faramir asked. "Though I do believe I can see the answer to my own question." He eyed the mess with a hint of amusement before he turned to look at the weary king.

Aragorn's brows scrunched together at the remark for he did not understand what his Steward was asking.

"I was here. Why do you ask?"

"You did not show up for the council in the library." Faramir said carefully. He did not want to accuse the king of wrong doings, but everyone was in attendance with the exception of the king.

Aragorn's face snapped to surprised dread after hearing the words. "Oh Valar… I completely forgot about that meeting..." the king slowly dropped his head to a hand both in shame and irritation after forgetting to make it to a meeting. Missing a conference was very uncharacteristic of the king and he could not believe he had forgotten about it.

"It is of no matter. We assumed you were busy. We did what we could without you. The men filled me in on the reports of slavery and the orc weapon trades that are taking place and we went over previous discussions you had on the matter. We have drafted up a few action plans, but they are very preliminary and need more work. It is a start anyway and the meeting did not go to waste."

"Thank you. I meant to make it but things got a little out of hand last night." the king said as he picked his head up.

"How so?"

Aragorn pursed his lips as he thought on what to tell the Steward. "It was just a long night."

"Is everything alright? I was informed Legolas had returned. Nothing happened, did it?"

Aragorn's eyes moved to lock sights with the steward. The eye contact was a major indication that something was not right, but the man's statement was vague. "We will have to discuss it later after I get some things worked out. I believe your help will be needed, but the matter is a bit indefinite and I will wait a while before I bring you into it. Anyway, I requested you here because I am trying to find the notes from the last public consultation. I believe there is some information in it that could be beneficial. Do you know where it is?"

"I placed them in here the day after the meeting." Faramir said as he stood to his feet and began to carefully sift through the loose pages that cluttered the desk. "It should be under your incoming mail tray."

The steward lifted an untidy stack between his hands where the mail tray would have been. Once the unruly stack of parchments was lifted, the mail tray became visible and Aragorn reached for the mail and the small stack of neatly organized pages and glanced over them as a look of relief flooded his features.

"Here they are!" Aragorn exclaimed. He mindlessly placed the mail try on top of the rest of the pages and turned his full attention to the meeting notes. He pulled a single page from the stack and read it quickly. As he did, a small smile played across his features as he had finally located the information he was after.

"Are you tending to one of the public issues that was brought up?" Faramir asked, but the king just shook his head.

"Not exactly, but this might solve the matter momentarily… I'll explain later... I also need your help today. I know you are on a holiday of sorts while here, but I need to take a trip into the city. Could you keep watch over things for me for a while? I do not know how long I will be gone."

"Of course. Are there any pressing matters that I need to be aware of or anything in particular you need me to handle?" Faramir asked without much thought.

"There is the issue of my mess." Aragorn half stated, half mumbled as the sarcastic comment directed to his desk was meant to be funny, but the large mess was far from comical. "If you would like to see to it, by all means..." the king said and Faramir chuckled at the comment.

"The mess is not something I would like to tackle. I can try, but I fear I would miss organize them and you would never find that you are looking for."

"And finding anything in mess is any easier?" Aragorn's tried to be funny, but it sounded dry.

"Well, I certainly can try, but ask that you do not hold me accountable if you cannot locate anything. I will, however, see to the mail, if you would rather me take care of that."

Aragorn looked to the pile of parchments and nodded in agreement. "Yes." Aragorn answered as he grabbed a stack of unneeded pages and began to organize them to put them away. "Answer them as you see fit and if there is anything that needs my direct attention, please set aside for later. Also, I will need you to round up two guards and place them by the doors to the Hall of Fire and give them orders that no one should enter the room unless it is Arwen, my brothers, Gimli or myself." Aragorn looked to his steward and saw him nod once in understanding.

As the king began the daunting task of cleaning up the pages he had pulled out, Faramir reached over to grab the letters. He pulled a few free to find out who the attention information was made out to. After flipping through a few of the letters, he stopped at one piece in particular and pulled it free.

"There is an elvish letter here addressed to Legolas." the steward held the note out to show the king and Aragorn was taken by surprise. The king took the note and read the elvish handwriting on the outside of the document that spelled out the elven prince's name. Aragorn looked skeptically to Faramir, then to the note before his fingers began to separate the flap that was closed by a green wax seal.

"Wai-" Faramir half shouted but halted as he realized he was in the midst of giving his king orders.

Aragorn raised a brow, asking for clarification and the steward sat back in his chair as he explained. "Are you sure you should be doing that? It is not addressed to you. I understand you and Legolas are close, but that could be a legal matter, if not a personal one."

"I have plenty of reason to open this, both legal and personal. If doing so has reason to place a blame, I shall take it. Fear not... I will not let my decision become a nuisance to you." With that, Aragorn broke the seal and unfolded the parchment. He read the letter carefully.

"_Prince Legolas,_

_It is with great worry that I am writing back to you as your last letter stated you were waylaid in your journey and your note was rather vague. I pray all is well and your holdup was due to simple circumstances rather than ill news. _

_I have already begun evaluating the undertaking of the elves from Imladris and look forward to sharing my thoughts thus far and see if they coincide with what you have in mind._

_Your letter indicated you would be back within a few days and I hope that is the case. We have become behind in our winter preparations and there are a few matters that need to be cared for by you. I can help in any way I can, but my title as temporary appointee limits me to make large decisions with neighboring cities._

_Please journey back safe and I shall see you in a few days._

_Sincerely, _

_-Valiändier Séregoion" _

Aragorn nearly crumpled the note as he refolded it quickly. He was a little upset in finding out Legolas had already made plans to get back to Ithilien. It was obvious that the elf intended to keep his plans from everyone and the man's disappointment began growing once more. That was the last thing the elf needed and though he made that clear last night, he somehow doubted Legolas would stay away from work. Aragorn placed the note in a drawer so it would not get lost in the mess. He would personally deliver the note Legolas later and try to discuss it with him.

Aragorn shook his head to himself as this thoughts took over his mind.

"Troubling news?" Faramir asked.

"Yes." Aragorn sighed. "The elves in Ithilien will be needing some help this winter and it will have to come from us. But this is the matter that is a bit 'indefinite'. I need to get some things sorted out and we can meet on the issues later." Aragorn stated.

"Is Legolas not handling Ithilien?"

"No; Not right now for he cannot." Aragorn said a little coolly to try and brush it off for the moment, but Faramir's dubious look stated he would not leave the matter alone. He had known something was off by the way the usually social elf had barely been seen, especially during the festivities and the hushed way the royal family seemed to keep to in regards to him was another major indicator that something was amiss. Not to mention, he was beyond agitated the night of the feast and the elf had disappeared all day yesterday. The steward was still left in the dark on the reasons as to why he would simply leave nor did he quite understand why it would have caused the king to become so worried. Now hearing the elves need their leader and Legolas was not with them was strange to say the least and the Steward did his best to try and get some information.

"Why in Middle Earth can he not tend to his own people?"

"I will discuss it with you in due time. Right now, I have to run an errand."

Faramir took the words as a dismissal and quickly gathered the mail that he said he would see to and stood to leave.

"You said you are heading to the city… do you need a guard to accompany you? I think it would be best after hearing of a possible spy lurking behind our walls."

Aragorn halted his cleaning efforts for a second as he recalled the events from last night. Rather than discuss it and be held up further, the king simply denied it.

"I do not think it will be necessary, but if I change my mind, I will organize a group to go with me."

With a nod that turned into a shallow bow to the king, Faramir exited the office. Aragorn straighten papers for a while longer so that he could make room on the desk. Once the wooden surface could be seen, the king pulled out a piece of parchment and wrote his own letter to Valiändier.

"_Greetings Valiändier,_

_Your letter to Legolas has been received and I will pass it to him but must make you aware that I have intercepted it and read it. _

_I am reluctant to say much in a letter and think it would be best if you can find the time to make a trip here, to Minas Tirith. I fear we are in a challenging situation and I hope to offer my help to you. I can explain more to you when you arrive, if you can journey here._

_If you are unable to make it, please let me know and I will make plans, along with my staff, to hold a meeting with you and the Ithilien council in a more convenient way._

_-King Elessar"_

Aragorn folded the paper and placed it in a small envelope before heating up sealing wax over a candle and letting the red drippings fall into a liquidus heap on the envelope's edged. He opened a drawer and located his sealing insignia before the wax became cool and stamped the image of the Gondorian Tree into the seal.

After blowing the candles out, Aragorn exited his office.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

* * *

Aragorn arrived back at the Hall of Fire just as two guards were taking up their posts. Once they caught sight of their king, the two straightened their posture and saluted their lord while keeping their sights straight in front of them out of respect.

"At ease gentlemen." Aragorn spoke softly and the soldiers nodded before their rigid stance relaxed slightly and both men looked to their king.

"What orders do you have?" Aragorn asked so he could check that these guards had the correct commands. He didn't want anyone heading into the grand hall and disturbing the peace that the royal family worked so hard to bring about and wanted his friend to rest as long as he could, for he had been unable to do so for a long time.

The two guards looked between each other, now doubtful on the instructions they had been given. When they looked back, one of the men spoke hesitantly, but clearly.

"Lord Faramir told us to hold posts here and not let anyone enter with the exception of the Queen, the Lords of Rivendell, the Dwarf Lord of Aglarond, the Elven Lord of Ithilien, and you, Sire."

"Good." Aragorn stated. He brushed past the guards to get to the doors and before he opened them stated: "As you were."

The guards responded immediately with a tense and curt salute before resuming their attentive stance as the king entered the hall.

The occupants looked up to the king as he walked forward. His brothers and Gimli were still in their previous seats but were taking their breakfasts from trays that were resting in their laps. It was quiet inside and the man approached without a sound, certain that Legolas still slept given the quiet demeanor everyone had in the hall.

The man gained the company and glanced at the form of the wood-elf still sleeping as he had been left. Arwen was not present, but assumed she had left to go tend to their son.

"I am going to head into the city for a while." Aragorn turned to the others and whispered so his voice would not wake the prince. "I think I may have located a carpenter in the city, but need to go take a look."

Elladan was chewing a bite of food rather fast so he would be unhindered as he spoke. "Do you need any help?"

Aragorn shook his head but stopped abruptly and cocked his head. "Yes. As I said before, I do not want Legolas to be left alone. Can-"

"I have already told you Estel, I can have that covered."

Aragorn smiled sadly and nodded to his oldest brother. He let out a sigh of weariness as he reflected inwardly and responded to his elven sibling quietly. "You will have to excuse me… I fear I am going to be a little overbearing when it concerns Legolas."

"A little?" the twin gave his human brother a good natured grin.

Aragorn did not comment.

"Faramir has stationed two guards by the doors. When Legolas wakes up and if he decides to leave the hall, you may dismiss them. If you think you will need another watch elsewhere, Faramir can assist you with that. He is taking over for me while I am out and can help your request and arrange for stationed guards."

"Do you need any help finding this carpenter?" Elrohir inquired. He looked quickly to his twin brother who gave a nod in agreement. Exactly what they were agreeing on was lost on the man and Aragorn could not tell if Elrohir was asking if he was in the right to ask the question or if he was seeking some sort of permission from his identical sibling.

"Well..." Aragorn started but stopped as he left the comment open for debate. He did not need the help, but company would be appreciated. However, he was reluctant to take more people away from the support group Legolas currently had and became unsure as to what to say.

"Then it is a 'yes'." Elrohir wiped his mouth with a napkin quickly and piled the utensils on top of the remaining food so his tray could be cleared. It didn't matter what his human brother would have said; he had made his mind up a while ago and knew Aragorn needed support just as much as Legolas did, though the man was not as desperate for it. "Allow me to get into more appropriate clothing for our trip and I shall accompany you."

"I think I could use a change in scenery myself." The dwarf chimed in.

Aragorn became unsettled and was going to deny Gimli the opportunity to go to the city with him, thinking to persuade the dwarf to stay and lend support to Legolas, but refrained. Though he was concerned, he could not dictate what others did and their involvement in Legolas' care and the man looked to Elladan with a question, silently asking if there was a need for the dwarf to be present, to which the Noldor-elf shook his head to the negative.

"All will be well Estel. I can manage."

Aragorn nodded first to Elladan, then to Gimli.

"Alright. I need to make my way to the bird coops to arrange to have a letter sent out. Go get ready and meet me by the gates once you are able to. I would like to leave as soon as possible so we are not gone all day."

"Where is this place?" Elrohir asked as he placed the food tray on the corner of the hearth and stood from his seat. Aragorn reached into the chest of his tunic and slipped his hand into an interior pocket and brought forth a parchment. He unfolded it and held it at arm's length for his twin to look at when he gained his side and the two studied the text. After scanning to a particular line, the man pointed to the script, validating their destination as he spoke.

"It looks like we need to head to the eastern side of the third level."

"What is this?" the twin said and eyed the rest of the document and read the penned notes that he steward had recorded only days ago. "A noise complaint on a carpenter?" the elf whispered with a hint of disbelief that such a matter could even be considered a valid concern.

"Yes. It was brought up at the last town meeting." Aragorn's voice though low, projected a deep sense of discontent as he recalled the stupidity of the meeting that was held.

"Ah!" Elrohir exclaimed quietly. He needed no more clarification on the matter since the tone in his human brother's voice drew a very clear picture for him and the elf pulled back. "Well, we shall have some walking to do then. I fear last night's snow will make this a rather sloppy trek so it would be best if you dressed accordingly." the younger twin glanced at the man's appearance.

Though he was dressed, Aragorn had not changed from the outfit he had thrown on in a hurry last night and the ensemble lacked anything that would provide any type of warmth or waterproofing. As an elf, Elrohir did not perceive cold like other races did, but had learned everything he needed to know about the cold and the effects it had on mortals from raising Estel with his father and brother.

"Yes I intend on getting changed myself. Go get ready." the king spoke to the elf and dwarf and inclined his head to the door, ushering them out while he tied up loose ends with his eldest brother.

"I will instruct Anna to stop by from time to time to see if you need anything since you are the only one here now."

"Arwen said she would be close by as well." Elladan added to try and reassure the man and calm some of his worry.

Aragorn nodded once again to the comment and he began to stuff the meeting notes back into his pocket as be pulled out the letter he wrote only a few moments ago to make more room.

"What is that?" Elladan eyeed the parchment in the man's hand.

"It is a letter to Valiändier. He is going to need some help during the winter months. I…. I am not going to allow Legolas to return to Ithilien. Not now at any rate. He is in no shape to be taking on any type of workload and needs to focus on himself, not others."

"I do not disagree with that, but how will you explain that to the Ithilien elves? Do you not think they will become disappointed that Legolas will not be returning?"

"I do not know yet. This letter is asking for Valiändier to come out here so I can meet and discuss the matter."

"You are not going to tell him of..." Elladan raised his eyebrows to punctuate the meaning of Legolas' trauma without uttering it.

"No. I will say only what needs to be said so there is an understanding. I hope to coordinate some type of care systems to put in place and am hoping to sit down with Gondor's closest allies to try and offer support when needed. I do not want to take Ithilien away from Valiändier for it is not my place to do so, but he sent a letter to Legolas perhaps a day ago and he indicated he was in need of guidance on some issues since he is not the rightful leader."

"I know 'Ro and I still have Rivendell that we need to return to once spring arrives. Since our advisers and backups are used to our extended stays here, we can help where needed as well."

"Yes I am hoping to have all of us sit down and go over this and have already counted you to be among plans as well as Faramir…." Aragorn shrugged his shoulders as if to offer that was all he had figured out.

"Well, do not get too far ahead of yourself just yet. There are options, let us just weigh them when we have all the information we can get…. Go on now Estel. See if you cannot find this woodworker and we will talk further on this later. Do not worry… all will be well, I assure you."

* * *

Each step taken squeaked in the freshly fallen snow as the man and dwarf trudged through the winter precipitation that had accumulated over night. The entire city had been blanketed in the pure white fluff and a majority of the streets had not been disturbed as very few towns people made their way out this morning. There were few, if any, tracks in the snow. As Aragorn and Gimli continued in their journeys, the untouched snow became trampled and imprinted with their footsteps and a permanent wake was created from their walking.

A crisp, brown leaf tumbled in the wind along the crust of snow. Winter arrived early and was in the midst of bring autumn to a close. The remaining fall foliage that clung to the few trees within the stone city were being torn down by the heavy snow and it would not be long until the trees became completely void of the vegetation that had lost their glorious color.

Aragorn crossed his arms as he walked to add a bit of protection against the frozen breeze. He had been quite through the duration of their walk and he kept his sights on his footing as he contemplated over the carpenter he was going to meet and rehearsed in his mind a few things to say. He hoped this person would provide the services that were in need, but that was hard to determine for he was unsure exactly what was needed to help his friend or if the idea to build a ship would even be feasible.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by an icy hit to the back of his head. He stopped immediately and turned to investigate, but the path he was walking was empty and the only thing that was seen were his tracks in the snow that ran parallel to the Gimli's. He stood there quiet for a few moments and eyed the dwarf at his side who seemed to scowl just as he was, but the two waited.

Slowly, a head crowned in long dark tress peeped out from an alley way. Elrohir had a wicked smile on his face and he bent to the earth slowly scooping up a hand full of snow and packed it into a ball. He stepped out of the protective covering of the alley and eyed his brother and the dwarf with a hint of playful mirth as he stood on top of the snow as elves were known to do.

He had been watching his somber human brother as they walked without any conversation. It was an odd feeling to be so gloomy and disturbed when the surrounding landscape was crisp, clear and joyful. Though the heaviness of last night weighed everyone down, he deemed it suitable to cut loose for Aragorn's sake. He did not want his brother to assume the depression that had ensnared Legolas and it seemed last night was a breaking point for everyone. There was no real joy found in toying around today, but the noble elf jumped into playfulness to try and lift everyone's spirits for a time.

Aragorn gave his brother a menacing glare, using his looks rather than words to tell his brother to stop before he turned slowly and continued on.

Another icy blow was felt upon the back of his shoulder and Aragorn whirled around to protest.

"Elrohir! Enough!" The man shouted with curt annoyance and gripped the collar of his coat and shirt and began to shake it about to get the crumbs of a snowball out of his clothing before it could melt and make him wet. The particles that were in his hair form the first projectile were beginning to fall down his back and the frozen moisture felt like sharp pricks against his skin before they quickly melted and were felt no more.

Elrohir chuckled lightly as he watched the man's jerky movements as he tried with his best efforts to avoid all contact with the snow. Gimli was beside Aragorn glaring at the elf as well. The two locked eyes and Elrohir squinted in thought as he bent to retrieve another hand full of snow.

"Alright! Listen *_elf_*! This is no time for games!" Gimli growled and crossed his arms in displeasure as he watched the raven haired Elda pack the snow in his hands. The two seemed to be in a battle of wills and the dwarf was trying to stare the elf down while Elrohir's grin became shaded in mischief.

Elrohir slowly pulled his hand back, demonstrating that he was not going to listen and would throw the snowball. As he did so, Gimli retaliated by slowly reaching for his ax, threatening the elf if he did not stop. He would never harm one of his friend's brothers, who had in fact become a friend of his own, but he flashed his ax regardless to show he was serious and did not want to engage in the activity of throwing snow.

"Come!" Aragorn shouted and walked away hoping to defuse the soon-to-be snowball fight. "I do not wish to delay this. We still have a ways to go."

While Aragorn walked, the elf and dwarf remained in their stand down and each held their posture; Elrohir with his arm over his shoulder, snowball in hand and Gimli squared off for battle, hand resting on his ax's handle.

"Your move elf!" Gimli taunted.

"Release your weapon!" Elrohir shouted back with a smile.

"Drop the snowball. We don't have time for this Lad."

"I do not think I am inclined to take orders from a dwarf… Make me."

"If I have ta' make you, I do not think you will have any arms left." Gimli smirked.

"Is that a threat?"

"No, it's a challenge an' one I suggest ya' do not take."

"Alright! Alright…" Elrohir's voice was deflated and he he shook his head in disbelief that he was actually giving in. "If you want me to give it up, then I shall..." Elrohir relaxed his stance briefly, but retained the dogging look.

Gimli watched the elf carefully. He knew Elrohir was up to something and while he said he would surrender, Gimli truly doubted it.

In an instant, Elrohir threw the snowball at the dwarf. As it raced toward the stout being, Gimli pulled his ax free and swung the broad flat blade at it. When the weapon and snowball collided, the sphere exploded in a fantastic burst as the ice particles were sent flying back to the stunned elf.

Elrohir held an arm up to shield his face from the snow and when all settled he simply looked to the dwarf.

"Well done Master Dwarf..." Elrohir sounded a bit flat and held his hands up in surrender. He began to march onward after his brother and Gimli who continued walking once his ax was back in place.

While the dwarf walked a few paces in front of him, Elrohir felt a nagging in his core. He tried to fight it for a few moments, but the longer he held it at bay, the more he began to feel fidgety. Though there was no clear winner in the mini snowball fight, the elf had a lot of fight left in him and honestly, he did not want to contain it. Despite the fact that he felt no true interest with the playing as he was letting on, it suddenly sparked and now he found he could not let the matter drop entirely. Some things were just hard to fight and Elrohir decided he did not want to give in so easily. Living with his twin at his side had grown a spot of competitiveness and a great need to be a victor.

Quietly, He reached for another hand full of snow and packed it lightly as he stalked the dwarf. His steps became larger and quicker to get closer and when he was a few feet away, he broke out into a swift trot. He gained the dwarf's side, but did not stop as he tossed the snowball at Gimli's chest in passing. As he continued to run he could hear the irate dwarf cursing him.

"Dratted elf! Just you wait! You'll be in a world of hurt after that! Ya' hear me?!" the dwarf was fuming and swatted the snow that was now packed in his beard.

Elrohir snorted with laughter and he continued to run on top of the snow. Aragorn was no longer seen, but his tracks were easy to follow and after running to an intersection, he turned down the new road and spotted his brother walking casually. Elrohir jogged his way over Aragorn and slowed down when he gained his side.

Aragorn looked up to his brother as the elf was not sinking into the snow and chanced a glance behind himself.

"Where is Gimli?"

"He is just around the bend. He is… he is cooling off." the elf punctuated with humor.

"Elrohir..." Aragorn's voice was pure warning but the Noldor-elf dismissed it.

"A little snow never hurt anyone Estel. I think it will do everyone some good to lighten up. I know there is a serious matter at hand, but we cannot let ourselves spiral out of control. A break from these trying times will no doubt be beneficial. You will be of no further help to Legolas if you yourself are horribly weighed down by this. Just remember to take everything one day at a time and look for joys in the little things. You cannot forget how to smile and laughter should always be heard… especially when it is at a dwarf's expense."

Aragorn did not respond back and only waited until Gimli came into view before he set himself in motion and continued to walk. Elrohir mimicked his movements.

"How are you holding up Estel?" Elrohir had turned serious now and carefully watched his brother as he walked. Aragorn let out a sigh.

"No different than this morning, but all will be well." He turned his head to his brother and flashed him a brief smile. The words of wisdom his brother just spoke made sense and now that he was getting - what felt like - a lecture from the elf, he could see how his mood had been affected. Elrohir was right; No one should live like this and wallowing in pity would not do a bit of good.

"Just keep your head up Estel." the elf encouraged and gave his brother a fond pat on the back just as Gimli met up with them.

"I outta ring your neck for that little stunt, ya' pointy-eared sprite!" Gimli almost mumbled the words and the once somber mood changed again to playful defense while Elrohir cast a lopsided grin to the dwarf. "Don't be smirking at me! I'll knock it right off your pretty little elf-head an' rearrange your face in th' process… We'll see who's smirking then... Coward."

"Coward?" Elrohir questioned back. He would take the insults the dwarf cast at him, but he was no coward.

"After running off like that-"

"Do you honestly think I would stay close knowing you have an ax readily available and you demonstrated your willingness to use it not but a few moments ago?"

"If ya' can't stick around an' fight fairly then ya' have no business fighting ta' begin with! We were in a truce then ya' broke it an' ran!"

"Always so grumpy Master Dwarf! Legolas has always been right… you do get rather sour if you lose."

"It wasn't a contest!" the dwarf rumbled.

After hearing the way the bickering was increasing, Aragorn shot his brother a look asking him stop to which Elrohir rolled his eyes begrudgingly as he did so.

"How much longer do we have to go yet before we are there Estel?" He asked the question loudly to pull everyone's attention off of the harassing. But even as he asked the question, his keen ears caught the sounds of woodworking filtering through several layers of stone buildings and the elf's question was answered before Aragorn even began speaking.

"It should be just a few streets away by now."

"So it is! I can hear it!" Elrohir pointed off in some direction where he could hear the sounds coming from the wood shop.

"Hear what?" Gimli asked.

"Carpentry! Tis' faint, but I can hear that hammers are pounding away, nails are being secured..."

"Are ya' sure it is not just the nails loose upstairs?" Gimli said and tapped his head to clarify.

"Oh very funny. It seems we have a comedic perspective among us and his humor is most original." Elrohir scowled, but a smile peeked through regardless. "Come Master Dwarf! Perhaps we can have them construct a box for you as Legolas is so fond of suggesting."

"What?!"

Aragorn actually let out a small puff of breath in an attempt to laugh himself, but did not say anything. He pulled the hood of his coat over his head to keep his identity concealed for a time as he was about to speak with strangers.

Elrohir laughed as the dwarf instantly became beet red. He did not know if it was out of anger or embarrassment, but Elrohir held his hands up in a slight surrender, indicating that he was done joking and Gimli did not need to get upset.

"Let us just hurry so we may talk with this carpenter."


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

* * *

It had been a long morning for the three and Aragorn, Elrohir and Gimli were lead on a wild goose chase through the entire city of Minas Tirith. The carpenter they were after was found, but after discussing their needs, they realized that the man did not know how to construct a ship and his skillset limited him to making household objects rather than large structural items. Instead of turning the company away disappointed, the woodworker offered information on another artisan who might be able to help and pointed the three in a new direction.

The trio made for the next tier of the city in order to find the new carpenter, but like the last one, this man did not possess the know-how with ships. Again, another recommendation was made and the three took to the city's streets to press onward and find another carpenter.

By mid afternoon, Aragorn was thoroughly amazed at how many woodworkers were actually in Minas Tirith, but at the same time there was a growing disappoint as each new person seemed inadequate to help them. They were now looking for the eighth carpenter and had been redirected to the upper levels of the city. The company backtracked their previous progress and hiked through slushy streets as the day's sun shone brightly and heated up the stonework that quickly turned the powdery snow into a melting mush that soaked through the clothing of anyone who dare walk outside at this time.

The winds began to pick up as the sun was losing its intensity and Aragorn shivered slightly as he walked. His feet were soggy from the melted snow and now that the temperatures were beginning to dip, it caused the king to rethink their efforts. He chanced a glance behind him and caught sight of his brother and Gimli who were patiently walking. Elrohir kept his sights up as he looked around. His steps were effortless on top of the wet snow, but the burly dwarf was having a harder time and would falter in his steps as he would slip occasionally on the slick unrelenting stone. Gimli had pulled his hood over his head and kept his arms crossed to conserve heat, showing that he was just as wet and cold as Aragorn was. The king silently decided that after they found this last woodworker, they would have to call it quits regardless of the outcome and head back to the palace.

Finally, the three found the woodshop as the constant hammering and sawing lured the trio to the precise location. In a tucked away street, a unique conglomeration of shops, homes and businesses were going about their day and townspeople were doing their best to clear the slush in the streets so it would not refreeze into slick ice overnight. Each of the people nodded in casual greeting to the three strangers walking about, but otherwise paid little attention to them as they went on with their business.

Aragorn stepped up to the building that was emanating the most noise and studied the large wooden doors that resembled a barn's opening. Hanging upon a rusted nail was a sign made of round slice of a tree trunk. The light wooden circle had the word "open" written on it and the lettering appeared to be burned into the wood grain rather than painted on.

The king hesitated for a moment, but knocked a few times then took a step back to wait along with Elrohir and Gimli for the doors to be opened. It was silent for a while, then to Aragorn's surprise, the hammering picked up again as the carpenter inside did not hear the alert that voiced he had visitors.

"It says 'open'." The dwarf said quietly. Aragorn placed his hand on the handle, but paused. He looked to the dwarf beside him as if to question if they should enter and Gimli gave a silent nod, indicating he thought it was a good idea.

The man pulled the large door open and stepped inside with Elrohir and Gimli behind him.

When the door was pulled shut, the woodshop was cast in very dark shadows. There were very few windows in the lofty, barn-like building and the majority of light came from a large circular firepit positioned in the dead center of the structure. A metal smoke hood was suspended over the flames and the metal pipe that created the chimney made a straight shot for the building's ceiling where the smoke escaped to the outside world.

Resting in the coals were a few metal wood-working tools that needed to be heated up in order to be used correctly and hanging on the walls of the building were vast collections of hammers, saws, picks and other objects that the three could not identify. Various piles of logs and milled lumber crowded the building and nearly every flat surface was covered in a fine powder of sawdust. Wood shavings littered the floor and the entire room had a particular hearty and sour smell of chopped hardwood mixed with the fumes emanating from the substances used to treat and varnish the wood.

Though it was obvious there was someone at work in the shop, no one was seen as the building seemed to be divided up into several rooms. While the hammering was undoubtedly coming from the woodshop, it was slightly muffled through the back walls.

"Hello?" Aragorn called out and he squinted in the dim room to try and locate the woodworker. A warm, yet energetic voice piped up as the carpenter heard Aragorn's shout and there were frantic sounds coming from the back as the man realized he had visitors.

"Hi! Just a moment, just a moment! I've got my hands full. I'll be with you shortly!"

The three took to looking at the rest of the shop in the immediate area and to one side of the building, completed pieces of furniture stood with price tags on them or hold tags were used for completed orders.

Elrohir wondered off into the section of completed work and his attention was hung up on a small intricately carved box. A large tree took up the hinged lid and the elf gazed at the craftsmanship in the piece of work. The tree's bark was precisely carved and even the leaves on the tree had a few veins etched in them that showcased not only the woodworker's talent, but his attention to detail as well.

The rest of the items were created with no less care and the aesthetic features of the benches, chests, chairs and tables were fantastic to behold.

"This is all very well made..." Elrohir said as he set the box he held down and moved on to look at the rest of the completed work. He was able to take note on the other artisan's work throughout the day, but nothing compared to this.

"I just hope this man knows how ta' build a ship." Gimli said quietly as he stood in place and looked at the structure of the building as if he were marveling over an expansive dwarven hall.

"Aye, as do I. We have been given the run-around all day and it would be nice to finally find someone who can do this." Elrohir stated. His attention was diverted to bin of children's toys and he began to pick through the items to look them over. A wooden oliphaunt with bone tusks was the first object to be pick up. Beneath that, a wooden Gondorian toy soldier had a painted uniform and flattened nail as a makeshift sword.

"I don't know…." Gimli said as he too began to look at the work and noticed what appeared to be decorative table legs that were in various stages of being complete. "His work looks more artistic, rather than practical." Gimli clarified. "Buildin' quality household items is one thing, but a chair is very different from a ship."

"Sorry!" The carpenter's apology was yelled from the back as he continued with his work. "I'm just finishing up! I'll be right there."

"No rush sir!" Gimli called back.

As the minutes went on, the hammering picked back up. Aragorn joined his brother in looking over the items that were complete, and among the collection of furnishings he found a rocking chair. The back support of the rocker had the carvings of tree roots rather than wood slats and the king took an easy seat on the chair to test it out. The chair didn't even squeak when it supported the man. Aragorn was no carpenter, but he could tell just that this woodworker really had perfected his craft and all of his pieces were build with care.

The king pulled the hood of his cloak a bit further over his face to keep his identity hidden for a while. Aragorn had no intention in completely hiding who he was, but he needed to make sure this person would be fit or the task rather than have the carpenter talk his skills up, whether intentionally or unintentionally, to the mighty king. Aragorn settled in the chair and he patiently waited for the carpenter.

Hammering, creaking, sawing and hacking created a chorus in the woodshop, but it suddenly stopped and a shuffling gait was heard as the carpenter stepped out to greet his customers.

"Well hello there! I apologize for the wait. I have an order that I need to get out today and was in the middle of gluing two boards together. I needed to get nails in them and put clamps on before air bubbles could get caught in the glue. What can I do for ya'?" The carpenter said as he emerged from the darkened back room and used the wall to help keep himself steady as he approached.

The woodworker had a bright smile and the light of life burned intensely in his hazel eyes, but the wood worker was far from youthful as his personality portrayed. He was an old man who walked with a bit of a limp and his back had a slight hunch to it as his apparent long years put a permanent slouch in his posture. His face was weathered and worn with age and his hair was lacking on the top of his head but there was a crown of frizzy white hair that still clung to his head along the sides and back of his scalp.

The old man took a few steps toward the three and wiped his hand on a canvas apron that covered the front of his appearance, trying to remove as much debris as possible from his hands before he approached his potential clients with a polite and professional handshake.

Aragorn stood immediately from the rocker and took the offered greeting before the old man moved on to greet Gimli and finally Elrohir without a name exchange.

The old man squinted to the Noldor elf as if to get a better look at him.

"Ah! You must be Dale coming to pick up your order!" The old man said. Before Elrohir could respond, the carpenter turned and shuffled away as if to retrieve something. "I have been working hard all week long, but I think I finally have it down right. This was a particularly hard piece to work with as the log your son brought to me was riddled with knots. I made a few planks but some cracked before I was finally able get anything usable out of it. But, the jewelry box turned out great and wait 'til you see the wood-grain pattern! Your wife will be thrilled when you give this to her." The old man's warm voice was excited as he ranted over his hardships with his latest project and he went about trying to locate the box.

"Uh…. n-no-" Elrohir stammered. Apparently he had been mistaken for someone else.

"Yes! I'm sorry you were not happy with the first turn out, but I can assure you that you will like this piece..." the old man stopped in his tracks for a moment and seemed to look up and off as he thought over something… "I just have to remember where I put it..." The old man mumbled then made for a bookshelf and looked over a few things then move to a cabinet.

Elrohir stepped up to his brother and shrugged his shoulders while being at a loss as to what to do. From the shadows of Aragorn's hood, the elf could see his human brother smirking and the elf spoke up to try and halt the carpenter.

"No, no sir. I think you may have me confused with someone else. I have no order placed with you and have traveled here with my brother and a friend in search of a carpenter who could assist with a major undertaking."

The man turned and regarded the elf, this time taking a harder look at the tall figure in the darkened room. The old man looked disappointed, but his merry voice was unchanged as he realized his error.

"Ah, so you are not Dale. My mistake good sir." the old man said nonchalantly and he stopped looking for the jewelry box. "You will have to forgive me; My eyes are not what they used to be. In my younger days I could see for miles and miles, but now everything has to be under my nose to see much of anything now. But I am positive you are thankful I am not shoving my face into yours in order to get my eyes to work just to find out who you are! This quite a funny thing; It's not the only time this has happened to me. Why, I did this to another customer just the other week and mistook them for someone else. She was coming in to get a bread bowl she had custom ordered for her mother and..."

The carpenter talked and talked all the while, making grand gestures as he spoke by using his body language as more punctuation as he pointed, swept his hands out and even made fists while his explanation kept stretching on.

Elrohir turned large disbelieving eyes to Aragorn as the carpenter rambled. The elf pulled in close to Aragorn and whispered quickly into the man's hood.

"He is quite chatty..."

Aragorn snickered silently and nodded in agreement.

"...Oh but here I go again getting off track and losing myself in stories that do not even make a difference and I am quite sure I am boring you to death with my meandering chat. People will be quick to tell you that I can talk the ears right off a rabbit!" the old man threw his hands up in to emphasize his words and chuckled at his own joke.

"I am quite sure you can!" Elrohir said with a light return, but Aragorn gave him a sharp nudge as it was dangerously close to an insult. The elf quickly got off the track he was on. "I am Elrohir. This is my brother… Estel. And over there is a good friend, Gimli."

"Well, welcome to my studio! I am Dillian!" The old man said and nodded his head to try and give formality when introducing himself. "So what brings you here, especially on this wintery day? Boy, I tell you, a snow this early is not what we were expecting. Some were predicting an early winter, but this is quite ridiculous! I saw the clouds rolling in yesterday afternoon and knew we were in for some weather, but did not think we would get much out of the overcast skies. It started snowing rather early and I caught sight of a few flakes before I went to bed, for I had to turn in early so I could get up and finish some work this morning. I am quite swamped with orders and the holiday has put me behind as I traveled to Osgiliath to spend the feasting with my son and his wife. I returned yesterday morning and got to work, but my travels across the plains made me rather tired so I could not get much work done and I turned in early. When I woke up this morning to get a jump start on my work, I was surprised to see how much snow had accumulated. It is quite amazing that the moment we celebrate the close of the prosperous season, winter sprang upon us. I tell you, the last time we had an early winter was way back when….."

As the carpenter spoke, he took to putting a few things away and tidied up his shop while using the same mannerisms when talking and demonstrated his speech with dramatic signals. In the few moments of inattention from the carpenter, Aragorn turned to his elven brother who was intently watching the elderly man with his jaw agape. To his other side, Gimli stood with his head bowed and the dwarf had braced his temples with his fingers. The three could not believe the carpenter could talk this much.

"...but I cannot get over how the weather has changed this quickly!"

Aragorn carefully wedged his words between the carpenter's and cut Dillian off so he could get down to business. "Yes the weather was quite a surprise, but we came out here searching for a woodworker who could help us. We need someone who posses shipwright skills-" Before Aragorn could go into further detail, Dillian cut him off.

"You need to have a boat built?" The carpenter's comment was a mix of statement for clarification and question. Being as the city was built into the mountains and before the palace was a expansive field, he was a little lost with the request.

"In a sense... yes. We are looking for someone who can give instructions on how to construct a ship. We do not want it to be done for us, but we are looking for someone to work with us and teach how to build a ship."

Dillian did not speak right away and though he understood what was being asked, he was still perplexed. "Are you looking for a canoe?... Or a full-fledged ship?" The last bit was spoken with a hint disbelieving sarcasm.

"A ship. We need something that can withstand a journey across the sea."

"So *_you_* want to build a ship?" the carpenter said slowly as he digested the words.

"Well..." Aragorn looked to the others briefly. "We will not be building it. Another will be taking on this task. We will be available to help, but-"

"Wait, wait, wait…. *_One_* person is going to build a ship?"

"Correct."

The old man looked surprised as he thought he heard the hooded man incorrectly. He passed a hand over his face as he thought about the daunting task.

"And you three…. will only help?" When Dillian only received a nod to confirm, the old man looked off unsure what to say. Rather than confirm anything he pressed for information. "And who is this person? Does he have any previous experience?"

"The person is another one of my brothers and no, he does not have any experience. That is why we are trying to find someone who does who can act as a… as a mentor of sorts. We need someone who can tell us how to get started and what needs to be done. He will need to be walked through the process, but not have it done for him."

"Like a teacher?"

"Uh, well...yes. Of sorts." Aragorn stammered. Dillian looked between the three before him and let out a heavy sigh. It was obvious he did not agree with the information being provided to him.

"You are asking an awful lot. This is no small task. I mean, the time it would take to build a ship is quite extensive, but you only have one person working on it. It could take years!" The carpenter was hoping that statement would be enough to deter these men, but Aragorn spoke calmly.

"That is expected…. in fact, it would be preferred."

"No, I don't think you understand… this… is a *_big_* undertaking." the old man gestured with his hands as if the space between his limbs could better indicate the scale of the request. "Not to mention expensive! Do you have any idea how much money it takes to build a ship? You have to hire the help to cut the logs and mill it, or buy pre-cut lumber. There are multiple kinds of nails and wood anchors that are needed. Finishing product is a must. And that is only to build the ship… you still need to buy the ropes, an anchor, sails…. The costs will add up - and quite fast at that."

"Money is of no concern for us."

"Then he will need all the tools. I mean, is he looking to get into this as a business and trade or is this just for fun?"

"It is for recreation. He is building for his own personal reasons."

"Consider it therapeutic work." Elrohir added as he sensed the carpenter's reluctance.

"Therapeutic work?" Dillian let out an amused chuckle. "There is nothing therapeutic about work, my-boy! Perhaps he should plant a garden or take up playing an instrument. Building a ship will require a lot of hard, physical work that will take up a lot of time."

Aragorn smiled gently to the man though it was blocked from sight as the hood he still wore kept him cloaked in shadows. "That is exactly what we are looking for."

The old man was still a little lost. Since things were not making sense to him and this hooded stranger in his shop seemed secretive, Dillian began to put up resistance. "You will be having a hard time trying to find someone who can dedicate that kind of time to your massive project." Dillian said and leaned on the edge on a shelving unit that was partially constructed. He still had not let on that he knew how to build a ship, primarily because he was not outright asked, but the way in which he talked about constructing a ship lead everyone to believe that this carpenter was exactly the person they needed.

"Do you know of someone who might be able to help, then?" Aragorn asked. A sinking feeling was beginning to come about him as this man might refuse to help. He knew that as a king he could order this man into service, but placing an unwilling carpenter with an anxious and troubled elf could not make a good mix. He had to get the old man to *_want_* to help.

"I may not be the only carpenter in this town, but you are speaking to the only one in Minas Tirith who has any experience in building ships!"

"So you have built ships?" Aragorn asked, suddenly talking a bit lighter and taking an interest in the man's work experience. Just as Elrohir had said, the man was chatty and perhaps, if Aragorn could pick the right path of conversion, Dillian could talk himself into wanting to do this.

"Why, yes indeed! I made my living as a Gondorian soldier. Back in my days I spent thirty years in service to Lord Denethor's armies and was among the ranks that patrolled the coasts and fought against the Corsairs of Umbar. We never took them out, but did our best to keep their activity at bay. I was a sailor. My fighting skills were not exactly up to par with the rest, but I could fight and hold my own when the time called for it. Due to my… lacking skills in comparison to the rest of my company, even as the commanding officers had told me, I primarily worked on repairing broken ships after battles and even worked with a few crews to construct new ones. Now, that was not my only focus, but it was a major part of what I did-"

"So you could help us?" Elrohir jumped in and tried to cut the carpenter off from another long rant. Aragorn cringed internally as his brother interrupted his plan, but remained stoned faced in the wake of the disruption.

"Oh, I appreciate your all's enthusiasm, and though I have not met this brother of yours, it is nice to know he has taken an interest in this, but I do not believe I am able to help you with this." the carpenter said with a shake of his head. Elrohir gave a disappointed, yet pleading stare to the man. "Listen, it is not that I do not *_want_* to help you three fine men, but even as you said this is a major undertaking. We would have to start with the utmost basics in wood-working before we could even begin."

"But we would be willing to learn all of this." Aragorn said.

"Im sure you are, but the time it would take to go over this will be like a full time job… especially in the beginning. I do not have the time to dedicate to this. I have to run my shop to make a living and I am already back filled with orders that I need to have completed soon."

"What if we paid you?" Aragorn offered.

"Oh, that will get pricy."

"I have the funding." Aragorn said easily.

"To pay my salaries as well as the materials needed to build the boat?"

"If that is what it will take, then, yes."

Dillian thought for a moment. "It is not just the wages I would lose. If I were not here taking orders, I could lose my client base and reputation. That would put me out of business!"

"I would pay you handsomely for your help. I can appreciate your talent and know your profession was dedicated out a love for the craft. We were admiring your work while waiting and your skill shows a true passion for this."

The carpenter seemed to blush at the compliment.

"Please, Sir Dillian, we need your help."

"How is it that you can afford all of this? I would wager it would be cheaper and easier for you to go the the shores and buy a completed ship."

"But that is not what we need." Aragorn knew he was losing his case and carefully pushed his hood off of his face. "I can afford this because I am, in fact, King Elessar."

The carpenter's eyes went wide with shock and he seemed to pail at this news. However, his skepticism was not easily dismissed.

"What? How… you are the king?!" the old man stammered and Aragorn nodded his head while holding his hand out, displaying the ring he wore on his fore finger of two serpents whose tails encircled an emerald jewel.

The carpenter gasped as he recognized the fabled Ring of Barahir. The old man made his apology immediately while he tried with effort to get to his knees and bow low to his king.

"Oh! Your majesty! Please! I didn't know it was you! I am a fool for my reluctance to help you! I-"

Aragorn cut him off gently as he moved his hand in a cutting motion to silence the old man and prevent him from bowing.

"You have nothing in which to apologize for. I was keeping my identity from you and your resistance to help your king will not be reflected upon you."

"His highness is too kind!" the carpenter said. Aragorn was a little put off by the dramatic actions that his royal identity seemed cause and he ignored the fawning that the carpenter was trying to project.

"I want to employ you to help build a ship. Expense is no object and all arrangements on funding will be taken care of. As I stated, I will pay you well, but have to admit I do not know what the salary of a carpenter is. If you agree to help me, I swear it that I will make it worth your while and we can come up with your wages."

"Of course your majesty!" the old man seem to be in a state of awe and he could not believe what he was hearing.

Aragorn nodded but did not look relieved. "I do not want you committing yourself to this if you do not want to do this."

"Oh but I do-"

"Do you want to because your king is standing before you?" Aragorn asked cautiously.

"In part yes, but the opportunity to work on this would be an honor, Sire!"

"I ask this because I need someone who will willingly work on this rather than hold a grudge and be miserable through the whole process. I know it will be trying at times and moral might be low, but I hope to build an environment full of positivity where work can be completed. I cannot stress that fact enough… My brother was right; this needs to be considered therapy. I do not hold you responsible for anyone's health during this, but your attitudes and work ethic can greatly impact this project's intent and the repercussions of not following this order will be sever. Is that understood?"

"My Lord, I swear to you that I will be the reliable person you need! Everyday I will be in good spirits!" Dillian groveled. Aragorn did not look convinced and seemed to now worry over this. The carpenter was reluctant before his king's identity was revealed and Aragorn did not want to sabotage the project with an unwilling participant.

With a sigh, Aragorn realized that they did not have any better options at the moment and gave in. He hoped this would work but he told himself that if this did not, then Dillian's part could be temporary until they could come up with a better plan.

"Alright Sir Dillian. I accept your sworn oath and willingness to help."

"Thank you Sire!" the old man bowed and when he straightened up, the room fell into an awkward silence. Dillian did not know how to act in his king's presence and he seemed to fidget.

"When do we get started on this?" Gimli spoke up. He was relieved just as Aragorn and Elrohir must be but he was a bit eager to get started on the project for Legolas' sake.

"Whenever you want! We can start now!" Dillian said enthusiastically but Aragorn halted him.

"I think there are a lot of details that need to be discussed first. We need to come up with a plan of action first. Would you be willing to meet with me tomorrow and we can sit down and go over everything?"

"Certainly your majesty!"

"You said you had a lot of work that needed to be complete. If we schedule a time in the late afternoon, will this give you the time you need complete your urgent tasks?"

"The things I have going on will take a few weeks yet to complete, but I can put them off to meet with you-"

"Do not put anything off. I do not want your business to fail due to this and if you have work that needs to be done, we can work with you and can coordinate around your schedule until your pending orders are complete. I ask, though, that you do not take any new orders at this moment and if you will lose wages as a result, just let me know. I will handle it."

Dillian nodded obediently.

"Now, being that we are a ways from the palace, I will call upon some men to escort you. I will have a cart waiting for you at high noon." Aragorn did not want to be rude, but the old man didn't seem like he would be fit for walking the steep inclines of the city. Rather than offer a cart, he simply deemed one be made available. "Bring with you anything you think would benefit our planning. I know not if it will just be a meeting with myself, or if others will there too, but we will have to be flexible and see how this goes."

"Yes my lord! I have ideas coming to me already! I can bring some parchments that can aid in teaching and we can start with the sketches needed to build a ship. From there, we can go over terminology and I can teach some proper woodworking techniques. Why, we can even have sessions in here where he will have easy access to all of the tools I have. We can -"

"That sounds perfect. Just bring what you think you may need tomorrow and we will go from there." Aragorn said. The smile on his face was amused as the carpenter was on the verge on rambling once again.

"Yes my king! I'll be sure to get everything packed tonight."

Aragorn nodded. "It is late afternoon and it will be dark soon. We have been traveling nearly all day. We will be taking our leave now so we can get back before it gets dark." the king looked to his brother and the dwarf to see if they were ready to leave and the three began to make for the door. Dillian came forward to politely see his guests out.

"Please travel safe! This alley is known to re-freeze fast and it looks like a lot of the snow melted so traveling will be rather dangerous!"

"Thank you. We will see you tomorrow." Aragorn said over his shoulder and stepped into the street.

"You three have a good night!"

Once the trio were well into the streets, Dillian closed the door behind him.

"That went well!" Elrohir commented and looked to Gimli and Aragorn to see if they felt the same. The two mortals were getting themselves bundled up so they could walk comfortable in the wintery air.

"I'm glad we found someone, but I don't know about this one." Gimli said dimly. "He was 'bout ready to drive me up 'uh wall with his mindless talk. I don't know how Legolas will take to him."

"Aye… this will get very interesting indeed! But then again, Legolas is a good listener. I guess he will be put a test then!" Elrohir mused. The Noldor elf turned to his human brother. "How about you? How do you perceive this?"

Aragorn shrugged his shoulders as he pulled his hood back over his head. "I do not know. Dillian is the only one we have come across with any experience. We will just have to wait and see."

With an uncertain smile to his elven brother, Aragorn lead the three back to palace.

* * *

_**So… Dillian is quite annoying huh? LOL.. I am actually basing him off of a close family friend who talks….. and talks….. and talks…. and talks…. It is hard to get a word in when he is around, but after the fact, we all get a good laugh at his talkative nature and he laughs at himself too. He claims it is a nervous habit but I think it makes for a good character as the talkative personality is VERY different from normal LOTR characters. So if you feel like Dillian is going on too much, he is supposed to. I will try to not bore you, but I hope Dillian can add a different element to the story. **_


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

* * *

Bitter winds whipped up and blew about the darkened sky with a gusting rumble. The temperatures plummeted and it was not long before any moisture from melted snow refroze. The remaining accumulation on the ground became hardened, but cracked under the weight of the travelers. They tried to walk on the once powdery precipitation, hoping the snow would provide more traction than the ice covered stone streets. It was nearly a perilous journey getting back as the streets became tricksy. What looked like simple wet ground was actually a thin coating of ice and it did not matter how careful their tread was; they were bound to fall if they walked upon it.

After picking a careful trail through the domestic streets, the three arrived at the palace and wasted no time in getting inside. The two mortals were shivering and took a few moments in the foyer to warm up. Their cheeks had turned a shade of rosy red from the dry, stinging, cold winds and their warm breath condensed in their nostrils, causing the pair to battle runny noses until they warmed up.

Servants came forth to care for their king and his company and they began to remove their soaked outerwear. The cloaks were bundled up for the hems became stiff with ice. As the warm palace air surrounded them, the ice began to melt and dripped everywhere. Gimli and Aragorn removed their sodden boots but toasty socks and dry shoes were brought over to them so they could move about without tracking the mess everywhere.

Elrohir had no need to change in the foyer as he was untouched by the wet snow since he had the luxury of walking on top of it. He quietly left and made for his rooms so he could change into more comfortable clothing while putting his outer garments away himself.

The smell of food was beginning to waft through the halls as the dinner hour was drawing near. The elf inhaled a little deeper to try and decipher the delectable smells that was surely emanating from his soon to be dinner.

The walk to his rooms was effortless and soon the Noldor-elf approached his doors. He pushed them open, but as the door swung on its hinges, a pleading call from down the way reached his ears. He halted in the threshold of his door and listened.

"Legolas?" the call was soft and sad, followed by a slight sorrowful sniffle.

Elrohir's brows furrowed instantly and he left his chambers to creep through the halls and locate the source of the noise. He came up to an intersecting hallway and carefully peeked his head around the corner. A slight distance down the hall, in front of the prince's closed doors, Tauriel stood. Light tears were on her cheeks and her eyes were downcast as she restricted her sights to concentrate her hearing to the blocked off interior. She held two long items in her hands and seemed to grip them desperately.

Elrohir stepped back into the previous hall with a slight sigh. He wanted no part in this and seeing Tauriel made his once easy and hopeful mood shift. He was surprised to find that his heart was not tormented over the sight of her, but he could still feel his disappointment over everything that had happened. He turned to walk away and leave Tauriel to whatever she was doing, but he halted mid-step as Tauriel called out in a heartbreakingly pleading tone.

"Legolas… please..." her speech became thick and soft sobbing accompanied the words.

Elrohir's heart constricted.

Clearly she was upset with something and despite her rejection of him, Elrohir found he had a hard time walking away. He stood quietly and listened for a while as Tauriel quietly cried. She tried to knock on the door and called out to her friend yet again, but no response came from the woodland prince. Without really knowing what he was doing, the Noldor-elf turned and headed for Tauriel.

He rounded the corner and the abrupt movement at the end of the hall alerted Tauriel that someone was present and she turned her face quickly to hide her tears and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

"Lady Tauriel..." Elrohir called out softly and approached with caution. He suddenly regretted doing this and had no idea what to say or how to go about this for this was not only awkward for him, but it must for Tauriel as well. He stopped a few paces away from her and waited nervously for her to regard him.

With jerky and rushed movements, Tauriel cleared her face of the tears that were there only moments prior and after a deep breath to calm herself, she made her appearance impassive. She turned to the other in the hall and looked uncertainly at the raven haired elf before her. At the sight of Elrohir, worry seemed to cross her face.

"El… Elladan?" she questioned. She felt foolish for breaking down like this and someone had witnessed it... and of all the people in the expansive palace, it was in front of one of the Noldor-elves. She prayed Elladan was the one who had stumbled upon her, but her inability to tell the twins apart left a major doubt in her mind.

Elrohir did not respond immediately and just looked to her with unease. He wanted to correct her and let her know who he really was, but thought better of it and gulped. He withheld the truth.

"Yes?" He questioned as he took on his brother's identity. At the single word, Tauriel looked relieved, though no less troubled. Her relief only burned him further and his disappointment deepened. It was clear she wanted nothing to do him.

Tauriel dipped her head in respect to the elven lord.

"What are you doing?" Elrohir asked. His smooth voice was easy going and he watched the way Tauriel darted her eyes around to try and find her reason. She wanted to keep something from him.

"I… Just have some things I need to give back to Legolas, 'tis all." Held in one hand at her side were the objects she was previously clutching and her grip on the items seemed to tighten.

"Are you alright?" Elrohir asked. He did not care for the items that Tauriel had with her and knew that feelings took priority over whatever Tauriel held.

"I am fine." Her tone was soft but not very convincing and Elrohir gave her a gentle knowing stare. Tauriel looked off and seemed to contemplate her own words.

"I am fine." She said again. "I just wanted to return these to Legolas but..." she shrugged and looked to the closed doors. Speech was not needed for Elrohir to know what was on her mind.

"But you are upset?"

"It is of no matter." Tauriel tried to dismiss it and Elrohir cocked his head as a puzzled look overtook his face. He tried to break down Tauriel's elusiveness with a barbed comment.

"I do not think I will ever understand why it is that Wood-elves are so bullheaded." Elrohir said. It was meant to be a humorous observation, but Tauriel was taken aback and glared at him.

"Perhaps it is the same reason as to why I am so perplexed with your concern for a stranger and her feelings." Tauriel's statement was punctuated with her rigid posture and a look of emerald fire in her eyes. She meant to keep her business a secret and took offence to Elrohir's words.

"Lady Tauriel… I apologize." Elrohir held his hands up offering her the best means to rectify his words. "I meant no insult to you or your people, but I know what I saw and how I perceived things... It is easy to place stereotypes upon others when they fit the picture, for my experience with Prince Legolas and his friends in Mirkwood have lead me to believe that most wood-elves are quite stubborn. Not to mention they were lead by Thranduil… in my mind he is the king of stubbornness. And now here you are, a person of the woodland realm trying to lie about what I saw. You *_are_* upset. You can deny it if you wish-"

"I do." Tauriel cut him off but Elrohir acted as though he didn't even hear her.

"-But your dejected appearance betrays your words. Not to mention the traces of tears on your face and your stand-off-ish nature. I may not know you, but we have conversed enough for me to know how you look when you are at ease and you are far from it now." Elrohir jumped his brows to add emphasis to his words and dared Tauriel to call him wrong.

Tauriel looked off while pursing her lips. She looked back to the prince's doors but dropped her eyes to the floor.

"I am upset." She admitted under her breath but the Noldor-elf before her did not gloat over this known fact that he had been able to detect. Rather, he took a step closer to Tauriel. She looked up to the raven haired elf and her green eyes met his silver ones. Something about his easy stare beckoned the truth to come out, but she was still unsure what to say. "Yet, wouldn't you be if your friend ignored you?" she asked.

"Ignore you?" Elrohir repeated in question and regarded Tauriel. The she-elf just nodded. "You mean… Legolas?" he asked for clarification.

"I do not know what I have done to that would garner his dismissal of me."

"What do you mean?"

"I know he is hurting. While he says it has nothing to do with me, I cannot help but believe it to be a lie."

"And why would you cause him hurt? You have not seen each other decades. Perhaps he is hurting for reasons that are unbeknownst to you." He said. Again, Tauriel looked off.

"Sometimes old wounds can reopen, no matter how much time has passed or if they have been completely healed."

"Old wounds?" Elrohir asked for clarification but Tauriel did not acknowledge the question outright.

"I came here looking for a fresh start, but the past has come up in a way I never expected it to. Legolas said I was welcomed and I believed him. But he refuses to talk to me as of late. King Elessar has confirmed he has been hurt, but from what no one will tell me. And now he will not talk to me. He locked himself up in his rooms yesterday then disappeared and now it is the same thing now."

Elrohir was hung up on every word, trying to get an idea as the 'old wounds' Tauriel had spoken about, but no new light was shed on the matter. Tauriel's bottom lip began to quiver as she suppressed tears. While her speech stopped, it was apparent her tormenting thoughts had not.

"Lady Tauriel… Perhaps he is not in his rooms?" Elrohir offered. He had way more insight than Tauriel on the prince's matters and honestly did not think the wood-elf to be present. Exactly where Legolas was, was unknown to the Noldor-elf but if the wood-elf was not opening the doors, he could only assume he was off somewhere else and most likely with the real Elladan.

"I have been told this is where he is."

"And who has told you this? It is quite possible that they are not a credible source." Elrohir countered.

"Anna and a few of the guards said they have not seen him since he returned yesterday and surely must be in his rooms now."

"I doubt that." Elrohir said.

He stepped up close to Tauriel and faced the door. With a loud voice to cut through the wood and stern knock, Elrohir called out to the prince. Though he believed Legolas to be elsewhere, he did not want to barge in if the wood-elf was really in there and possibly indecent.

"Legolas? It is El...ladan" the elf brokenly spoke as he almost uttered his own name and gave away his real identity. If the prince was in his rooms, he hoped that the wood-elf would not be able to pick up on his ruse and give him away. He pressed his ear to the door and listened, but when it proved to be quiet, he boldly pushed the door open and stepped back to give a clear visual of the vacant room.

It was dark inside and Tauriel stepped forward for a moment to take a look, noting for herself that Legolas was not there. She felt silly for jumping to conclusions, but the relief she felt outweighed her foolishness and was pleased to know that Legolas was not ignoring her.

"So he is not here." She tried to smile but now a new worry entered her mind as she thought over where the elf could be and hoped he had not left again as he did yesterday. She back tracked her steps until she was standing in the hall and Elrohir began to pull the doors closed but stopped as a thought came to him.

"You said you wanted to drop something off with Legolas?" Elrohir said and looked to the items in her hand. Tauriel looked down in surprise, almost as if she had seen what she held for the first time.

"Oh… I… I can give this to him another time." She said.

"What is it?"

"He left his knives in my rooms the other day and I was just trying to return them to him."

A sobering look over came the raven haired elf and Elrohir looked intently to the knives Tauriel held in her hands. He was now able to make out the form of the white handles as the blades were kept in the sheaths.

"Tell you what-" Elrohir reached quickly for the knives trying to get them into his custody. He did not want Tauriel to attempt to get these back to the troubled prince and it was pure luck that the dangerous weapons had not been in the prince's possession at the time he had tried to end his life. He was certain Tauriel did not know any of what had transpired over night and her willingness to get the weapons back to her friend was a thoughtless action.

Elrohir could not allow these weapons to reach the prince. He made to grab the knives, but Tauriel pulled back quickly trying to keep them with her. As she did so, she shot him an accusing eye while puzzled that the Noldor-elf was trying to take these away from her.

"Allow me Lady Tauriel. I am to be heading to the armory later and I can deposit them with the managers and have them cleaned and sharpened. I know not the last time the prince had them cared for and I am sure he will appreciate it being done for him." Elrohir tried to push this idea on to the red-haired elf in order to get the knives from her, but she resisted.

"No. Legolas trusts no one save himself to care for these knives. I would not let another handle them without his permission."

Elrohir clenched his jaw as his plan was thwarted.

"Alright then… I… have a meeting with him tonight then. Allow me to deliver them to him as I am sure he will want them back after being without them for so long." the Noldor-elf fibbed and held his hand out, asking for the knives.

Tauriel was reluctant. She did not want to give these up as it proved to be a convenient way to try and talk to Legolas. She hated to think this, but the knives were a crutch and an easy way to get back into the prince's presence. What would she do without them?

Yet Elrohir was right. These were not her weapons and surely the prince would want them back.

Slowly she placed the knives in Elrohir's hands and the Noldor-elf quickly tucked them at his side before Tauriel had time to reconsider.

"I'll be sure to keep these safe until he receives them. Fear not." Elrohir said to try and erase the look of worry Tauriel had, but it did not work. He blurted out his next statement to try and shift away from the subject and lighten the mood. "Dinner will be starting soon. Would you accompany me?" Elrohir let the question fly from his lips without thought, but then a jolt of realization shot through him as his question replayed in his mind.

Why on earth would he want her to accompany him to dinner? After what happened a few nights ago…. *_he_* certainly did not want to go to dinner with her.

He had half a mind to try and back out of his invitation, but could not come up with an excuse. He had already asked and his only hope was that Tauriel would decline his offer. He waited a moment for her response, but Tauriel looked to Legolas' rooms and worried her bottom lip.

Elrohir took her reactions as the rejection he was hoping for and felt a wave of relief flood him. He did not say anything more and turned to begin walking down the hall and towards his rooms. He could not fight the feeling of eyes upon him and though he did his best to ignore it, in the end he couldn't stand it. He looked over his shoulder briefly and spotted Tauriel as she stood in place, watching whom she thought was Elladan, leave.

The she-elf looked so lost and disheartened and Elrohir went heavy with dread. He could not stand to see her this way and though she would not have him, he did not want to see her fair face look so upset. His steps faltered before he turned to look back at her.

"My Lady?" He asked. He honestly did not know what he was asking but acknowledged the fact that he was watching her back.

Tauriel took a calculated step, but did walk towards the elf to join him. As she approached, Tauriel let out a calming sigh. "Elladan… I appreciate the offer but… What of your brother?" she asked.

Elrohir stiffened.

"What of my brother?"

"I am sure you know what has transpired between us."

"Uh… well… I... I know *_some_* of what happened. I mean, we discussed it, but not in great length. It was not like I was there or anything of the sort." Elrohir stammered and suddenly became very worried.

"Then I am sure you can understand my predicament… I turn your brother down, yet go to dinner with you? It would seem awful scandalous, would it not. I also do not want to add any tension between brothers."

"Oh, well… I only offered to go as friends! I think Elrohir would understand… I mean, there is nothing between you and *_I_* - clearly!" Elrohir was now trying his best not to act as himself and thought how his brother Elladan would behave, but ironically, his brother was so much like himself. Right now Elrohir wanted to be anything but himself to try and put up with this charade and be convincing.

Tauriel gave a small threaded smile to the noble elf lord. "Elladan… could I ask for you help?"

"Oh, s-sure." He stammered.

"I… need to talk to your brother."

Elrohir's heart stopped.

"You mean... Estel?" He could not fathom a reason as to why Tauriel wanted to speak with the real Elrohir.

Tauriel scrunched her brows. "Estel?"

"Forgive me... I'm sure you do not know his elven name. King Elessar is whom I was referring to."

Tauriel shook her head. "No; I mean Elrohir."

"Why do you want to speak with Elrohir?" Elrohir asked. His heart started to hammer in his chest and he anxiously waited for every word that left Tauriel's lips. She seemed to ponder over her words and Elrohir could not stand to wait for an answer. He turned to walk slowly towards his rooms with Tauriel at his side.

"I owe him an apology." She shyly admitted

"For what?" Elrohir suddenly became very anxious.

"For how I acted the other night."

"Oh..."

"I could have handled it better, but I was so caught up in what was happening and there was a lot going on that night. I did not take the time to really understand what I was doing."

"So - okay - wait... do you…. *_do_* you… like him?"

"No! I mean, I like him as a person… he is a lot like you and I do have a fondness for you both, but I have no… heartfelt feelings for him. I regret that I let the situation come to that, but I feel terrible for simply running away from him and now I do not know how to approach him. He seems awful hurt and upset with me. He has every reason to be and I do not blame him, but I would like to speak with him to try and make things right…. or at least better. Could you help?"

Elrohir stepped up to his doors that were left open and paused just outside the room as he continued to talk with Tauriel. He felt a renewed spark of hope during the short walk, but hearing that Tauriel still did not want him only dragged him down further. He let out a sigh to try and keep himself composed to remain as 'Elladan' but wanted to get out of this whole mess.

"Yes... Yes I can help." Elrohir said. "I can talk to him if you wish and put him at ease. Then you and he could chat." He said. He didn't need to hear the apology for the confessions she just told to him were enough.

"If you could do that… it would be… I would really appreciate it. Thank you." She gave the elf a warm smile that spoke volumes of her appreciation. Elrohir was taken back by her beauty and joy and his heart picked up in tempo while skipping a beat every now and then.

"Oh… Well… do not mention it." Elrohir said bashfully but then suddenly looked alarmed. "Especially do not mention this to my brother until I have a chance to talk with him." Elrohir felt a rush a panic. He had to intervene with the real Elladan and come clean as to his identity switch.

He knew Elladan would understand.

"Sure." Tauriel agreed with no real enthusiasm and it seemed as though she were just stating the words.

"Hold on just a moment. I would like to change before I head to dinner. I had to travel today and need to get into some clean clothing." Elrohir said and stepped into his room.

"What?... Are these not your brother's rooms?" She said. Within the few days of her being here she had begun to get a lay of the palace and could have sworn Elladan's doors were the next ones over.

Elrohir caught his error and paled.

"Uh… yes. But I am going to….to... drop off Legolas' knives. Elrohir… will bring them to the meeting and can see to it that Legolas' things are brought." Elrohir cringed at the repetitive statement that was uttered out of nervousness.

"He does not know what you are doing with them." she countered.

"IIIII….." Elrohir held the single word as he pondered over what to say to that. "I will have a servant place a note with them. That way he can gather them when he stops by to get his things. I do not intent to come back here before our meeting." Elrohir said and prayed intently that Tauriel would just accept that.

She did.

After dropping the weapons off in his actual room, Elrohir then had to leave and act as though he were making towards his rooms that were actually his brother's. He pushed the door open and headed inside. He took his cloak off and hung it in the closet, then turned to his brother's dressers to get a new shirt. It took a few times at guessing what drawers contains the shirts as Elladan did not keep his things in the same order as Elrohir, but Elrohir did find a new shirt and striped himself of the outer tunic and replaced it with his brother's.

He ran his hand through his hair to straighten it's appearance and after the last clasp on the shirt was fastened, he headed to the hallway to look for Tauriel who had wondered a few paces away, but stood patiently waiting for him.

"Alright Lady Tauriel… to dinner then?"

Tauriel just nodded and the two headed off for the dining hall.

"Do you think Legolas will be there?" She asked, but kept her sights in front of her. While she was glad the prince had not been ignoring her all day, she was still worried about him and her presence here. There was a gnawing need to see for herself that Legolas was not upset with her, but then realized that part of her was just excited to see him. She missed him.

"Who can say? We will just have to wait and see." Another shot of panic cut through him. Elladan could be easily convinced to play along with his identity game as the two were connected and sometimes speech was not needed between the twins. But Legolas was not on the same wavelength as the Noldor-twins and if the prince recognized Elrohir….

Elrohir gulped and pulled at the collar of his shirt, suddenly feeling like it was constricting his air ways.

And yet the prince was not the only one he had to fool. Arwen would be there, Aragorn would be there, Gimli would be there...

**_What did I get myself into?_** he thought as he made his way into the dining hall.

It was an empty hall as Elrohir and Tauriel were the first to arrive and both elves rounded the table to get to the chairs that they had been occupying over the course of the past few days. Elrohir did a seat swap to sit next to Tauriel and the two waited patiently as servants began to fill their water glasses. Neither elf spoke and when the serving staff left the hall to begin prepping plates, the massive feasting space was cast in silence.

Tauriel was staring off as her eyes were locked on her water goblet and she took a deep easy breath in, though she made no sound. Her troubled thoughts were turned to Legolas and it bothered her that she could not get any answers regarding the prince and his trauma.

"So..." Elrohir said after a while. He had no ideas on topics of conversations, but wanted to talk about anything rather than let the silence drag on.

Tauriel was pulled from her thoughts and reached for her napkin to place in her lap.

"So?" Tauriel questioned back.

Elrohir shrugged his shoulders. "I know not to be honest. I was hoping you would have something rather intriguing to say so we were not sitting here simply waiting." Elrohir said. He hoped people would start showing up soon and relieve him of speaking with Tauriel.

"I do not know that I have anything intriguing to talk about." Tauriel stated.

"Well… then tell me, how are you enjoying your stay thus far?"

Tauriel just snorted.

"I am not sure how to answer that." Tauriel narrowed her eyes as she spoke but did not look at the elf whom she thought was Elladan. In the reflection of her water glass she could see that the Noldor-elf was watching her, but she avoided the eye contact. It was strange to be talking to this elf for his identical appearance to his brother left Tauriel feeling uneasy, but she kept reminding herself that this was not Elrohir.

"Oh?" Elrohir asked. Servants came back into the hall and dropped off glasses of wine for the two that was to be served with the dinner and Elrohir nodded in thanks before he picked his glass up and took a sip then turned back to Tauriel.

Tauriel just shrugged her shoulders. She did not want to go further into detail.

"I think that statement gave away more information than you intended, My lady." Elrohir said and Tauriel finally looked to the elf beside her. "What is troubling you?" Elrohir asked a bit indifferently. He did not care if Tauriel really supplied an answer, but at least it made the time tick by faster. Elrohir took another swing of his drink.

"There is just a lot going on and I am not sure what to make of it all right now." Tauriel's light voice was slightly monotone.

"Such as?"

"Just…. everything… I was thinking all night long over all that has happened over that few days and I just feel confused and uncertain." she propped an elbow on the table and held her chin in her hand and she looked lazily to the elf beside her.

Elrohir looked back to her and in that instant, caught another glimpse of her beauty that had captivated him from the start. He gulped and looked off while the disappointment of her rejection flared again. Sitting here with Tauriel felt like torture.

"Can I ask you a question... and have you be honest with me?" Tauriel inquired and she kept her eyes on the Noldor-elf.

"Well… I… do not know. It will depend on your request."

"What happened to Legolas?"

"My Lady-" Elrohir began to state with a sternness to demonstrate he was in no position to talk about it, but Tauriel did not give him a chance to interrupt her and she and pressed on.

"No one will tell me what happened. I have been able to not only see the pain in his eyes when I look at him, but I have felt it as well. It is not natural. Something horrific has happened to him and yet I do not know what it is and no one will tell me. I have probably known him longer than any person here and it is frustrating to want to help but not even know where to begin or how." Tauriel turned to face her place setting again and continued talking. Her words didn't make sense to the other elf as Tauriel seemed to speak what was on her mind and she had not filled in the gaps as to their past. "I mean I know we did not depart on good terms, but I cannot imagine that he has been weighed down like this for seventy years. He said this was not my doing, and yet I have only had the opportunity to talk with him once during the entire week I have been here. He avoids me."

"Weighed down by what?"

"Just… Kili-"

Someone abruptly stepped in the hall and the two elves looked up as the other Noldor-twin entered the hall. He had an unreadable expression on his face due to the long hours of solely watching over the prince in a boring, hushed atmosphere.

His long-faced appearance changed to skepticism as he looked at his brother and Tauriel sitting together and he squinted with what looked to be disapproval.

Tauriel saw the look upon the one she assumed was Elrohir and looked off quickly. Her anxieties began to build now that the other elf was here and she could not help feeling the need to flee, but she stayed put.

The real Elladan did not know what was going on between Tauriel and his brother and hoped it was nothing as he did not have the energy nor time to get involved with another round of rejection and having to console his brother. Elrohir could do as he wished, of course, but he didn't like the fact that the two, who seemed terrified and depressed at the thought of one another, were now suddenly in good standings and he did not understand what was going on. Elladan's greeting was minimal as he entered the hall and took up his seat beside his brother.

"How did your travels go? Estel has told me it was a success but we did not talk much about it." Elladan jumped into a quiet conversation with his brother, completely ignoring Tauriel for the moment. He was a little leery of her stringing his brother along for, perhaps, a second time.

"It went well, but there is a lot to go over." Elrohir said and turned in his seat to discuss the day's events with his twin.

"That is what Estel said."

"How was *_your_* day?" Elrohir asked though he thought he already knew the answer to the question. Elladan looked exhausted.

"Long."

"Oh no… what happened?"

"Absolutely nothing happened, for which I am glad, but it made for a rather dull day. Estel has taken over care for a while, but you have the next watch." Elladan said and he leaned back as servants swarmed him to place water and wine at his place. As he leaned back, He could see Tauriel around his brother and the way she carefully kept herself turned from him. He squinted to the back of her auburn head.

Elladan's gaze shifted to his brother and he shrugged his nose towards Tauriel, silently asking what was going on.

Elrohir's eyes went slightly wider and he shook his head curtly asking his brother not to say anything at the moment.

Elladan rolled his eyes before he sat in his regular posture.

Others began to fill the room and Éomer, Faramir and Éowyn came wondering into the dining hall. They greeted the company already in the room and they took up their seats and got comfortable for dinner. Other advisers, nobles and appointees that worked closely with Aragorn began to file in and the once quiet room became a constant buzz of conversations as people started to socialize.

Gimli and Arwen were the last ones to arrive. Arwen made a quick announcement that the king would not be joining them for the meal and Arwen only meant to stop by to see everyone this evening. After her news, she sat down and took her glass of wine and made her dutiful rounds to speak with the guests of the palace, but kept true to her word and left the mess hall not too long thereafter.

Food was brought out and placed before the guests as it usually was and everyone began to eat. The three elves sitting by each other took their meal in silence and Elladan could not keep his mind off of his brother and why he was associating with Tauriel. Neither would look at each other and Tauriel was not her usual lively self. He monitored the two for a time, but then started to reconsider what he had originally been thinking. Perhaps it was in fact Elrohir who had been the one to reach out to her to attempt a second shot?

Now he became worried. He thought he had talked his brother out of this. He looked between the pair and Tauriel took a shy glance at him but looked away quickly.

This was getting most bizarre and he watched her for a few moments to try and gauge what was going on.

Tauriel felt the elf watching her with hordes of disappointment and she knew she needed to acknowledge him. She did not need Elladan's help and decided to go for it. She took a breath and braced herself before she spoke.

"Elrohir… I wish to speak with you after dinner if you have a few moments." Tauriel looked down the table to the one watching her.

Elladan looked to his brother who had gone stone-white a ridged, but the elder twin looked away to let the two have a conversation uninterrupted. He let out a puff of air in a contained smirk and turned to his plate to feign interest with his food, but he kept his ears locked on to his brother and the she-elf.

Tauriel's brows furrowed when the elf turned from her. She felt miserable, but knew she was the one who caused this and she boldly pressed on.

"Elrohir?..." She asked, but again, the elf kept his attentions to his food while the elf sitting right beside fidgeted nervously. "Elrohir, please..." Tauriel then reached out across her neighbor and brushed her fingers over Elladan's arm to get his attention. The oldest twin had a look of complete surprise on his face and he looked to Tauriel baffled.

"I beg your pardon?" Elladan asked and looked to Tauriel, but his eyes were diverted to his brother who was using every expression on his face to try and get his brother's attention.

Elladan looked to his twin with startled bewilderment.

"What?" He asked Elrohir but the twin pursed his lips and darted his eyes over his shoulder. "What?" He repeated.

"Elrohir…" Tauriel interrupted. "I would like to speak with you after dinner and I can promise that I will make it fast."

"Wait… me?" Elladan asked.

"Yes you!" Elrohir intervened and gave his brother a steely look. "Tauriel wishes to speak with you…*_Elrohir_*... after dinner. Why do you not agree to it so you may have a quick chat?" Elrohir said and a sudden realization came across the older Noldor-elf. Elladan shot his brother an icy look knowing that his younger brother had convinced Tauriel that the two were switched.

Elladan opened his mouth to speak. He had every intention on making Elrohir look bad but as he gathered his thoughts, Tauriel's worried expression caught his eyes and he halted. Tauriel did not deserve to be place in the middle of this.

Elladan played along quickly, but that did not mean he was letting his brother off the hook.

"Yes Tauriel, we can speak later…. much later if it can be helped for I would very much so like a word with *_Elladan_* beforehand."

"Of course." Tauriel said quickly. "Elrohir... thank you." She said. Elladan just gave her a small smile before he hesitantly turned back to his plate and began to cut the meat with a knife.

Beside him, the real Elrohir let out a quiet breath and the older twin scowled. He thought fast and an idea came to him.

In loud Quenya words, the Noldor-elf spoke in no particular direction. He was testing his theory.

"_So my lady..._" Elladan said in High Elvish and glanced at Tauriel who was oblivious as to what was being said. "_Forgive me if I seem rude, but please tell me if you can understand me, for I believe my brother to be wearing *my shirt* and I am a little confused as to why you called me by another's name..._"

Tauriel seemed to be off in her own world and paid little attention to the foreign language. Elrohir on the other hand turned to glare openly at his brother.

"What are you doing?" the younger twin grit out quietly in the common tongue. The older twin just smiled and continued speaking the old Elvish dialect.

"_I need to speak with you... now._" Elladan said and Elrohir had a disbelieving look on his face. "_Oh stop your worrying. She cannot understand us._" He said.

"_How do you know?_" Elrohir growled back.

"_Really? You do not recall that Quenya was banished by_ Thranduil?... _You know_ Legolas _does not know the language therefore she would not either._"

Tauriel looked back to the twins as she caught two names that she easily recognized. "What of Legolas? Where is he?" she asked. She was hoping she would finally get some news on him.

"Nothing My lady, I was just using the two as examples." Elladan lied while looking to his brother with an 'I-told-you-so' stare.

"Examples of what?" Tauriel did not particularly like the secret nature these two were keeping to.

"Of…. Blond elves." Elladan smirked. Tauriel looked confused and the grin she received from 'Elrohir' was strange so she removed herself from the conversation feeling a little self-conscious.

"_See, I told you. She does not understand Quenya so that leaves *us* free to clear a few things up. Why does she think I am you?_" Elladan set his utensils down on the table and crossed his arms as he watched his younger brother smolder with the resentment of having to do this now.

"_It was an honest mistake. She thought I was you-_"

"_And you did not correct her?_"

"_What was I supposed to do?!_" Elrohir wailed back.

"_Correct her!_"

"_Brother, listen, I am sorry! She was upset and crying and I did not want to make things harder on anyone so I went with it just so I could get to the bottom of her troubles._"

"_Well you did not have to drag me into this! What transpires between you and her needs to be left at that! I do not have time to deal with this and I would assume you do not either. What is wrong with you?... Chasing one of the prince's friends while he is struggling-_"

"_No! That is not it at all! Will you shut it for just a few moments and allow me to explain?!" _Elrohir's voice was getting terse and both Noldor-elves were fuming by now. "_I was on my way to my rooms. She was in the hall crying and I could not just leave her so I went to see what was wrong. I will not *bore* you with details, but to get on point, it turns out, she had_ Legolas' _knives in her possession. She was trying to give them back!... Had the real me intervened, she would have fled. But, because I assumed your identity, I was able to speak with her and confiscated them to eliminate any risk to_ Legolas!"

Elladan sobered a little, realizing that despite the bad idea of lying about who he was, it proved to be the best thing to do in the situation, in a twisted sort of logic. Elrohir continued.

"_I apologize for dragging you into this. I admit I did not correct her... and I did not correct her even before I knew about the weapons, but I did go along with it and it proved to serve us all well! I would hope that you can see the positive in this situation and just go along with it for a little while._" Elrohir's final words were punctuated with a demanding stare.

Elladan sighed. He was not exactly happy, but backed down somewhat.

"_I swear if you placed any blemishes on my name-_"

"_Your name is clear! Fear not._"

"_And I will *not* be speaking with her._"

"_No you won't. *I* will... after dinner. I will not come clean, but I will come back as _Elrohir _and put this all to rest._"

"_Fine_." Elladan was completely flustered and stood from his chair. He gathered his utensils, plate and wine glass and began to leave the hall.

"_Where are you going?_" Elrohir demanded.

"_I just cannot… do this. I wish to take my meal in a better setting. I want no part in this and I am removing myself now. I am leaving this completely in your hands. See to it that it is put to rest…_" Elladan shot daggers at his brother with his eyes then looked Elrohir over quickly. "_And for your sake, do it fast because that shirt looks terrible on you…. It is absurd how much better I wear that color than you._" Elladan scoffed and walked out of the dining hall without another word.

Elrohir huffed at the comment as he watched his brother leave the dining hall. He did not know if Elladan was upset that he had borrowed the shirt or if the twin was just sour that Elrohir's lie was actually beneficial and Elladan just needed something to further complain about. He suddenly realized all eyes had turned to him and he smiled to try and make things right.

"We held a competition a while ago and he lost. He is not pleased with it." Elrohir switched into a light voice of common language and waved his hand casually to try and dismiss the tension in the room. He grabbed his wine glass and drained its contents quickly to try and prove he was not worried.

Tauriel glanced that the Noldor-elf.

"I was not the cause of that, was I?" She asked.

Elrohir suppressed a smile as he looked to her. "Not at all My Lady."


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

* * *

_****Meanwhile****_

Aragorn and Gimli parted ways for a while and the king headed straight for his study. His first order of business was to check in with Faramir to see if any pressing matters had come up as his travels lasted longer than he had anticipated.

The doors to his office were open and Aragorn stepped in, slightly surprised to see who was in there. Faramir sat behind the desk and had a few things out. He was in various stages of work, but the two chairs that were positioned on the opposite side of the work station were occupied by Éomer and Éowyn. The three were in a light discussion regarding on-going help between the people of Rohan and Gondor, but the conversations stopped immediately as Aragorn entered and all exchanged greetings. The king stepped further into his office and approached the desk where his steward sat.

"How was your trip, my lord?" Faramir asked and made to stand from his seat, but the king waved him off. He had no intentions of staying long and only stopped by to check in.

"Longer than I had hoped, but all-in-all, it was a success. How is everything faring? Did anything urgent come up?"

"No my lord. All is as you left it. I have here all the mail that has been sorted; This pile is everything I was able to see to, this is what needs your attention, and this small stack relates to things that I have not been involved in so I do not even understand what is being asked or requested. I think there is some history on them that I am lacking so I am leaving them for you."

Aragorn grabbed the stacks and in the process reached for a quill, parchment and an inkwell.

"Thank you I will see to these momentarily."

Faramir only nodded. "The guards are still stationed by the hall of fire and access has been restricted all day. I was going to relive them for the night and rotate the watches, but if you plan on opening it soon, I will let them finish the watch."

"What?" Aragorn's short question sounded shocked yet bordered disbelief. "Is anyone still in there?"

"Yes; one of your brothers... and Arwen has been coming and going. It matters not if you need it to be kept close but I just want to get fresh guards if it will be necessary."

Aragorn thought for a moment. He was surprised that everyone was still in the hall as he expected the prince to leave as soon as he woke up. The king just shook his head with uncertainty.

"I do not know how much longer guards will be needed. That will be my next stop then and I will let you know shortly."

Aragorn began to walk off, but halted mid step as Éomer cleared his throat to speak.

"Aragorn…" the Rohirrim King started. "I have been talking with Faramir for a while on a number of things and we have a few concerns and requests that we would like to take up with you."

"Oh?" Aragorn did not like the sounds of this as the tone in which the High Lord of the Mark talked with reflected his mood and it was serious.

Éomer sat quietly for a moment as he contemplated his words. He was unsure how to get started. "There seems to be some among us who are not well…" the Horse Master watched the king whose unchanging expression moved between himself, Éowyn, and Faramir.

Aragorn was surprised to see a look of dread on Faramir's face but it only confused the king.

"Who is-" Aragorn began to ask but was interrupted.

"You know of whom I speak." Éomer stated simply and the Rohirrim King gave Aragorn a stern knowing look. "Lord Legolas."

Aragorn took a deep breath. He did not want to get into right now and he cut Éomer off.

"That is not something I can discuss at this moment." He said and looked to his Steward with a glance of accusation but it dissolved quickly. Aragorn had not ordered what little information Faramir had be kept secret and he was only discussing this with his family.

Éomer looked a little perturbed but spoke easily. "But it *_will_* be discussed?" Éomer asked as he took the subtle hint from Aragorn's statement. "I only ask because I share the same concerns as Faramir for we were both witness to his unusual actions the night of the Harvest Feast. It was not like him and I think we may have inadvertently upset Legolas. I have hoped to find time to speak with him but he seems elusive and has been very edgy."

Aragorn became a little uneasy at the statement. He did not know of anything out of the ordinary happening during the celebrations and had assumed the prince turned in early when he proved to have left the party.

"Why? What are these unusual actions you are talking of?" Aragorn asked.

"He was with us in the cellars preparing for a rematch in a drinking game. He was fine and laughing, then the next instant he had a terrorized fire in his eyes and left." Éomer did not feel the need to discuss the physical altercation for he, in part, felt guilty over what had happened. The king felt as though he pushed the elf to that point after disregarding the prince's requests not to participate. However, Éowyn was only too quick to bring it up and her quiet comment was lined with question.

"But he struck you..." She said and Éomer gave his sister a concerned grin, confirming she was correct but upset that what she spoke was the truth.

Aragorn was taken aback and it was displayed clearly on his face.

"He what?" Aragorn asked for clarification, not trusting his ears for the actions the wood-elf had been accused of absolutely went against his character.

Éomer's grim face turned to the king knowing that he could not deny the statement for he bore a bruise on his cheek that was the evidence he could not deny.

"Yes. He was desperate to get away and I did not heed him. He struck me… or shoved me, I am unclear which, then he took off. Then there was the matter at breakfast yesterday. He was speaking to us, then became very uptight at the mention of the events from the night prior and once again left. I tried, as did others, to speak with him, but he refused to converse with us as he remained elusive." Éomer spoke and never took his eyes off of the Gondorian King.

This was startling news to Aragorn and he remained speechless as Éomer continued on. "Faramir said he talked briefly with you on the matter this morning and said that you would discuss with him the details at a later time. You also indicated that help may be required, but you needed to gather more information."

Aragorn sighed. "I have not had a chance to really look into it, but yes, I may need some help. I sent a letter to the Elven Second Appointee this morning and I need to hear back from him. Once I do, I will be able to piece things together a little better."

"I know that my relationship with Legolas is not nearly as strong as it is with the three of you for I do not see him near as frequently, but he still remains a friend. Whatever help is needed or actions that need to be taken, I can step in if necessary. I am to be leaving in a few days but I can postpone my travels back for a small time. If I can correct any error on my part, or give any aid where needed, I would do that."

Aragorn smiled gently to the Rohirrim King, but was reluctant. Help may be needed for the elven people, but he did not want to get too many people involved with Legolas himself.

"The Elves in Ithilien may need help. I thank you for the offer, both on my part and I will speak for Legolas as well. Yet, I am sure we will be able to handle this on our own."

Éomer looked off. It was obvious he was bothered with the dismissal in a request to help a friend.

Then, the room looked in surprise as Éowyn's steady voice came to light and she spoke softly, relaying the words and ideas better than her brother could.

"We just offer our help, 'tis all." Éowyn said. "Both you and he placed your lives on the line years ago when you traveled to Rohan with Gandalf Greyhame. You both not only aided in freeing our uncle of the accursed spell he was placed under, but marched with our people during a dangerous time and fought alongside them… We know as friends, our repayment for his part is not expected but if there is a way we can help him, as he helped us so long ago, we would like the opportunity to."

Both Faramir and Éomer looked to the Shield Maiden with a pleased spark in their eyes.

"My sister could not have said that any better." Éomer gave Éowyn a soft smile before he turned back to Aragorn.

Aragorn remained mostly expressionless as he heard the voiced concerns and wishes. It was remarkable how many people were offering help, but at the same time it unnerved him. Legolas was always a private person and the king was sure that in this instant, too much help would not be a good thing. It took weeks to get the elf to open up and the man did not want to cause his friend to go back into hiding if others were adamant that they get involved.

Aragorn found that yet again, he did not know what do and picked his wording carefully so as not to dismiss the issue, but move away from it for the moment.

"Once I find more information I will share with you what I can."

Aragorn ended his statement with an incline to his head indicating that was all he could offer, but no one was given a chance to say anything else as Anna stepped into the office. She casually flipped through a few envelops she had in her hand, reading the attention information to make sure nothing accidentally got mixed in with the King's mail.

"Excuse me My Lord Faramir I have a few last minute messages that arrived th-" Anna looked up and instantly saw her king standing before the desk and the maid bowed with respect. "Your Highness, I apologize, I did not know you were in here."

Aragorn just watched her as she stepped in the room and held the letters out to her king. "My Lord, a few late messages came in. The one on top is marked urgent and we received it just before the sun had set."

Aragorn took the letters from her and added them to the stack of papers he already held. "Thank you Anna."

The maid bowed then turned to leave and Aragorn was not too far behind her. "Being as I have urgent messages, I think I will leave to go tend to matters. Faramir, I'll get back with you on the guards."

"Do you need your office, my lord?" Faramir said and began to rise as did Éowyn and Éomer, but the king shook his head.

"No. I will be in the Hall of Fire should you need anything."

* * *

After a quick detour to his rooms to change out of his wet clothing, Aragorn strode to the Hall of Fire. The guards placed by the massive doors saw the king approaching and just like any other time they saw their lord, they straightened their posture and gave a salute.

The king merely glanced at them as he brushed by and Aragorn cautiously pushed the doors open and let himself in.

The hall looked exactly as he left it that morning and being that the sun had set, the only light in the massive space emanated from the fireplace. Aragorn closed the door with care and began to walk forward.

Elladan was sitting in the chair that he had claimed previously and he looked up from whatever was keeping him occupied. At the sight of his human brother, the Noldor-elf rose from his seat while placing a finger over his lips to keep Aragorn silent. The two walked toward each other and Elladan greeted his brother with a quick hug while whispering to him.

"Keep quiet, Legolas still sleeps."

"Still?" Aragorn repeated back and the elf just nodded.

"He is worn out and has not moved all day, for which I am glad. 'Tis unnerving to see an elf sleep this much, but we kept him undisturbed so he could rest as long as needed."

Aragorn made for the couch with stealth and Elladan was right behind him. Just as the elf had been left, Legolas was on the floor at the base of the couch covered with the throw and lying on mattress of pillows and cushions. His eyes were closed just as they had been for weeks when he did doze off.

Aragorn could not help the worry that suddenly gripped him. He knew the elf needed rest for he had been deprived of it for a long time, yet to find that the elf slept the entire day did not sit right with the healer either.

Aragorn crouched by his friend's head and softly touched the wood-elf's cheek and forehead as he checked temperature. There was nothing out of the ordinary and the man moved two fingers to the elf's neck and chest to monitor pulse and evaluate his breathing. Again, there appeared to be nothing wrong with the prince and he was, in fact, sleeping.

"Estel, he sleeps, I assure you. I have been checking on him all day, come sit down and let him be." Elladan said softly.

The king grabbed the edge of the throw and settled it a little differently over the prince and Elladan shook his head to himself as he watched. The adjustment of the blanket was pointless as it did not offer any more warmth, but the Noldor-elf did not say a thing. Aragorn was trying to do all he could for the prince and if settling the materials in a better way offered Aragorn some peace of mind, then Elladan remained quiet.

Aragorn stood and crossed the space to take up the other seat. He set his papers down on the floor and sat back in the chair with a weary huff. It had been a long, cold day and now that he was finally sitting, he could feel how stressful the day had been. He relaxed as a tired throb was felt in his body. He leaned his head back against the chair's backing and closed his eyes briefly but opened them only to stare at the vaulted ceiling above them.

"So... tell me all about it." Elladan said. "Did you find anyone who can help? You were gone an awful long time."

"It is unbelievable how many times we were lead to different people as no one seemed to know how to build a ship." Aragorn said and passed a hand over his face and rubbed his eyes while he continued to talk. "The carpenter whom we sought was not the one needed and so he turned us to another man, who in turn told us about someone else, who then sent us in a different direction…."

Elladan listened to his brother speak and as the man illustrated a picture of his hard time, the elf began to grin. The elf shook his head in mild sympathy and slight humor as he noted the man's irritation.

"I was getting rather fed up with it, but luck did find us and the last place we stopped produced someone who holds the knowledge we need." Aragorn stated and looked back to the sleeping elf on the floor.

"When does it all begin? Were you able to get him to agree?"

"Agree, yes, though he was not exactly willing to help right away. I had to employ him as this will be taking a lot of time and he does not have that to simply give up. He will be coming over tomorrow for a meeting so we can discuss matters further."

Elladan nodded his head absently.

"How about you? How was your day?" Aragorn asked. He could feel the uncertainty building within and he wanted to shift the focus for a while to let some of his stress vanish as he sat.

Elladan held a hand up to present to Aragorn the sight they were already looking at; Legolas sleeping soundly.

"This has been my day." He nearly whispered. "A quiet, uneventful day… I suppose this is rather silly, but watching all of the sleeping has exhausted me." the Noldor-elf said as a yawn crept into the last bit of the sentence and the elf covered his mouth until it passed. Elladan arched his back as he stretched his arms above his head and once through, slumped back into the chair. He cast his brother a lazy look and Aragorn could see the truth in the elf's statement.

Elladan was squinting his eyes as he fought the need to close them and doze off and the whites of his eyes were slightly reddened with boredom-fatigue. Elves were known to be able to go long periods of time without rest, but right now it seemed the dull atmosphere sapped the elf's stamina as it would a mortal. The sleepiness would wear off once the elf got up and moving, but right now neither man nor elf made any attempt to do so and they sat in the quiet calm

Elladan sighed as he tried to clear his head of all sleep. The elf needed something to do. He picked up a hushed conversation in hopes of alleviating his drowsiness.

"I did find a rather interesting book in your library and it has been my only saving grace to keep me well occupied today."

Without a word, Aragorn raised his brows, letting the expression ask for more details rather than speak it.

"Tis shocking and a bit humorous at times, but it is an old medical journal trying to teach 'new and improved methods of healing' to others." The elf's voice was pure sarcasm as he vaguely recapped the book in a hushed tone and Aragorn shifted so he was not craning his neck to face his brother.

"It is from many thousands of years ago and all of the techniques have been proven to be ineffective or even deadly… there was one passage in here about how if a mortal became sick, it meant they had, what was referred to as, 'bad blood' and the book instructs you on how to remove the bad blood… either you surgically open the person to let the blood drain, which of course is absurd as one could die from blood loss, or the book even mentioned placing leeches upon a person so the blood suckers will remove the bad blood for you."

Aragorn's disbelief was hidden as he made a disgusted face.

"I know, I am with you on that… If I was a mortal and became sick, the last thing I would want is to be covered in leeches." Elladan shuddered as the thought of little, slimy, blood-sucking worms all over him. "Can you imagine a time when people thought that could actually be beneficial to someone? I know _Ada_ would have absolutely gone crazy if he found out that people were doing such a thing and calling it medicine."

Aragorn did not know what to say and Elladan bent over his knees to pick up a large leather bound book.

"Here." Elladan held the book out for Aragorn to take. "I do not know if this is worth keeping as it is severely outdated, but I have no need to read this anymore."

Aragorn took the heavy book and placed it in his lap. He did not particularly care about the text at the moment and let out a sigh as he turned his sights back to his friend.

"Estel? Are you well?" Elladan asked. He knew the man was still worried sick over Legolas, but he had hoped that by finding the help needed would bring some comfort to all. Aragorn however, looked far from comforted despite his successes of the day.

"I just hope this works."

"What reasons do you have to doubt that it will?"

Aragorn sighed. "I do not know. It is a great idea, but I just do not see how this is going to work." Aragorn shook his head to himself. "Growing up with you and Elrohir at my side, sitting with me for long periods of time as _Ada _taught me the arts of healing has not only benefited me, but those in need of healing as well. But his wounds are not…." Aragorn's thought vanished as he looked sadly to his friend.

"His wounds are not physical." Elladan finished the statement for his brother and the man nodded his head in agreement. "And you feel as though your skill can only help the sick and mend physical wounds?"

Aragorn slowly nodded as he thought.

"Estel… it is not up to you to heal Legolas. A wounded heart is not something you can pack full of medicinal herbs and watch the ailments disappear. You can help the process, but healing will have to come from Legolas himself. He needs to work through this and find his own comforts and strengths to battle his inner demons. We can offer compassion and an understanding which will generate a safe place for him, but if he wants to heal, *_he_* has to do it and fight his way through this. I know you fear 'failing' Legolas as you have claimed earlier today, but..." Elladan let out a sigh and to prepare himself to be blunt with his human brother. "You can do everything possible for him and more, and yet if Legolas cannot pull himself out of this then there is no hope for him. If that is the case, you certainly did not fail him."

"I know. Logic is taking a stand with my worries. I know I am limitless with what I can do for him, and for that reason, I feel powerless. I know this is not the first time in his life that he has faced personal issues; his mother passed when he was child, his father was… Thranduil-" Aragorn's lack of description of the elf king was easily summed up by his very name. "-he has been witness to the devastation to even more wars and battles than I and yet he persevered through it all. However, the magnitude of his ordeal is just so large…. I do not want to doubt him, I do not want to doubt me… or even you and all the others-"

"Aragorn," Elladan called his brother by his birth name to try and level with the worried man. "You are comparing orcs to goblins. The personal issues he has dealt with, is typically called 'life'. It is not the most ideal one, but can you name one person who has been lucky to not face hardships and overcome them? What Legolas has been put through the past few weeks is not life, but a crime and everything that happened thereafter escalated quickly. It is a curse and a blessing that we do not know how to deal with this, for if we knew exactly what to do, I shudder to think of how many people had to go through it, yet we are lucky that this has not happened frequently."

Elladan got up from his seat stiffly and walked to his brother's chair. He knelt by the side of the plush piece of furniture and placed a comforting hand upon his brother's arm.

"I know you are worried, for I am too, but just know that we are doing all we can for him. Since we do not have experience in this matter, who is to say this will not work, humm?"

Aragorn nodded, indicating that what the elf said was true and he had heard him.

"Come… Let us go to the dining hall and we will get some dinner. Is Elrohir back? Perhaps he could take over while you go get some food."

"Yes, though I do not know where he went. But I would rather stay here. I have some papers to go over-" Aragorn pointed to the sack of mail at his feet.

"This can wait." Elladan interjected but Aragorn casually held his hand up to cut the debate off.

"I will be alright. You go ahead and get something to eat. I'll take over the watch."

"Estel-"

"Elladan, I do not want to go and sit among people right now. Though I will be working, I would prefer this. Besides, I am not all that hungry-"

"Don't you dare start acting like Legolas." the Noldor-elf stated sharply. He had been evaluating the sleeping prince all day and he too noted how thin Legolas had become.

"I'll be fine. I'll give Legolas a few more hours to rest then I'll wake him. I will take my dinner with him to give him some company and see to it that he finally eats something with substance."

Reluctantly, Elladan agreed to it. "Very well."

The two looked up as the door to the hall opened and Arwen slipped in without a sound. Her face lit up when she saw the man but did not speak until she had crossed the room. As she passed the couch, her sights went instantly to the prince to see if was up or sleeping before she continued and was within whispering proximity of her husband.

"Estel! I did not know you had returned!" she leaned over the man and wrapped her arms around his neck as she embraced him and he brought his hands to her waist in a half-hearted attempt to embrace her back.

"I'll be heading to dinner." Elladan said and decided to leave to give Aragorn some time to speak with Arwen. "If you need anything, just call."

After Aragorn agreed, the raven haired elf walked to the doors and let himself out.

Arwen turned back to the man and her eyes sought his to try and read is expression as she softly spoke. "How did your searches go?"

Aragorn smiled. He did not want to keep anything from his wife, but he already dove into feelings with his eldest brother and getting back into it at the moment was not something he wished to do. There would be plenty of time to talk later.

"Good." He said.

"You found someone?"

"I believe so, but I will not get all the details until tomorrow."

Arwen could tell there was a lot not being spoken of but she glanced to the wood-elf who was still asleep and knew now was not the time to press.

"I actually came in to let Elladan know dinner was ready and take a food order but… you are staying?" she asked.

"Yes. I will stay. I will eat when Legolas is up."

Arwen gave the man a tender smiled and leaned in close to brush her lips across his forehead. "Do not wear yourself out Estel." she warned quietly. "I'll tend to the guests at dinner then. Do not worry over it. I would come back, but Eldarion has become rather fussy and he is not settling."

A new look of worry painted Aragorn's face but Arwen did all she could to lay his worry aside. "I think he just has a cold. The weather changed quickly and he is stuffy and has taken on a cough."

"I'll come take a look at him soon."

"Elladan said he would stop by to make sure I have done all I can for him. He might be able to help if you are busy."

"No!" the man nearly shouted and all the horrors he could conjure contorted his face. Just as quickly as the man's voice picked up he looked to Legolas with a grimace, looking to see if the elf had woken, but the prince went unmoving and continued to sleep. Aragorn looked back to his wife and Arwen slowly stood straight and crossed her arms as she skeptically looked back at the man. "I mean… no." Aragorn whispered.

"Why not? Elladan is just as good a healer as you-" she began to say but was cut off by a very worried man. She looked Aragorn over, taking notice of the book that rested in his lap and she scowled slightly.

"*_How_* is he going to help?"

"I am not sure exactly but he said it might be bad blood and he had to go find a few worms?" she questioned and Aragorn paled before Arwen laughed. "Estel!" Arwen whispered harshly in disbelief. "You think Elladan would honestly do that to our son?" she arched a teasing brow at the man and Aragorn sagged back to his chair in sudden relief.

"So Elladan told you about his latest findings?"

"He did. And you ought to know him better than that." She smiled with a hint of wicked humor. "Elladan said he would bring in a fire kettle and let some Athales boil to help sooth him. We gave him some chi weed to help with his cough and I gave him a warm bath not long ago."

As Arwen told of the things she had done for their son, Aragorn checked them off of his mental list. If the infant did have a cold, there was not much more they could do for him at the moment.

"It sounds like you have everything under control."

Arwen took a half seat on the arm of the chair Aragorn was sitting in. "Can I get you anything?" she asked. Aragorn just shook his head. "Alright _meleth-nin. _I will head to dinner then to see to everyone."

The queen stood up and without a sound she walked to the sleeping prince and knelt to the floor. She kissed her fingertips, then ever so gently, pressed her hand the the prince's head where her fingers combed through his hair a few times. She did not linger long and took her leave.

Aragorn watched his wife leave the hall and when the doors were shut, he went to e doors to his office were open and Aragorn stepped in, slightly surprisged to see who was in there. Faramir sat behind the desk and had a few things out. He was in various stages of work, but the two chairs that were positioned on the opposite side of the work station were occupied by Éomer and Éowyn. The three were in a light discussion regarding on-going help between the people of Rohan and Gondor, but the conversations stopped immediately as Aragorn entered and all exchanged greetings. The king stepped further into his office and approached the desk where his steward sat.

"How was your trip, my lord?" Faramir asked and made to stand from his seat, but the king waved him off. He had no intentions of staying long and only stopped by to check in.

"Longer than I had hoped, but all-in-all, it was a success. How is everything faring? Did anything urgent come up?"

"No my lord. All is as you left it. I have here all the mail that has been sorted; This pile is everything I was able to see to, this is what needs your attention, and this small stack relates to things that I have not been involved in so I do not even understand what is being asked or requested. I think there is some history on them that I am lacking so I am leaving them for you."

Aragorn grabbed the stacks and in the process reached for a quill, parchment and an inkwell.

"Thank you I will see to these momentarily."

Faramir only nodded. "The guards are still stationed by the hall of fire and access has been restricted all day. I was going to relive them for the night and rotate the watches, but if you plan on opening it soon, I will let them finish the watch."

"What?" Aragorn's short question sounded shocked yet bordered disbelief. "Is anyone still in there?"

"Yes; one of your brothers... and Arwen has been coming and going. It matters not if you need it to be kept close but I just want to get fresh guards if it will be necessary."

Aragorn thought for a moment. He was surprised that everyone was still in the hall as he expected the prince to leave as soon as he woke up. The king just shook his head with uncertainty.

"I do not know how much longer guards will be needed. That will be my next stop then and I will let you know shortly."

Aragorn began to walk off, but halted mid step as Éomer cleared his throat to speak.

"Aragorn…" the Rohirrim King started. "I have been talking with Faramir for a while on a number of things and we have a few concerns and requests that we would like to take up with you."

"Oh?" Aragorn did not like the sounds of this as the tone in which the High Lord of the Mark talked with reflected his mood and it was serious.

Éomer sat quietly for a moment as he contemplated his words. He was unsure how to get started. "There seems to be some among us who are not well…" the Horse Master watched the king whose unchanging expression moved between himself, Éowyn, and Faramir.

Aragorn was surprised to see a look of dread on Faramir's face but it only confused the king.

"Who is-" Aragorn began to ask but was interrupted.

"You know of whom I speak." Éomer stated simply and the Rohirrim King gave Aragorn a stern knowing look. "Lord Legolas."

Aragorn took a deep breath. He did not want to get into right now and he cut Éomer off.

"That is not something I can discuss at this moment." He said and looked to his Steward with a glance of accusation but it dissolved quickly. Aragorn had not ordered what little information Faramir had be kept secret and he was only discussing this with his family.

Éomer looked a little perturbed but spoke easily. "But it *_will_* be discussed?" Éomer asked as he took the subtle hint from Aragorn's statement. "I only ask because I share the same concerns as Faramir for we were both witness to his unusual actions the night of the Harvest Feast. It was not like him and I think we may have inadvertently upset Legolas. I have hoped to find time to speak with him but he seems elusive and has been very edgy."

Aragorn became a little uneasy at the statement. He did not know of anything out of the ordinary happening during the celebrations and had assumed the prince turned in early when he proved to have left the party.

"Why? What are these unusual actions you are talking of?" Aragorn asked.

"He was with us in the cellars preparing for a rematch in a drinking game. He was fine and laughing, then the next instant he had a terrorized fire in his eyes and left." Éomer did not feel the need to discuss the physical altercation for he, in part, felt guilty over what had happened. The king felt as though he pushed the elf to that point after disregarding the prince's requests not to participate. However, Éowyn was only too quick to bring it up and her quiet comment was lined with question.

"But he struck you..." She said and Éomer gave his sister a concerned grin, confirming she was correct but upset that what she spoke was the truth.

Aragorn was taken aback and it was displayed clearly on his face.

"He what?" Aragorn asked for clarification, not trusting his ears for the actions the wood-elf had been accused of absolutely went against his character.

Éomer's grim face turned to the king knowing that he could not deny the statement for he bore a bruise on his cheek that was the evidence he could not deny.

"Yes. He was desperate to get away and I did not heed him. He struck me… or shoved me, I am unclear which, then he took off. Then there was the matter at breakfast yesterday. He was speaking to us, then became very uptight at the mention of the events from the night prior and once again left. I tried, as did others, to speak with him, but he refused to converse with us as he remained elusive." Éomer spoke and never took his eyes off of the Gondorian King.

This was startling news to Aragorn and he remained speechless as Éomer continued on. "Faramir said he talked briefly with you on the matter this morning and said that you would discuss with him the details at a later time. You also indicated that help may be required, but you needed to gather more information."

Aragorn sighed. "I have not had a chance to really look into it, but yes, I may need some help. I sent a letter to the Elven Second Appointee this morning and I need to hear back from him. Once I do, I will be able to piece things together a little better."

"I know that my relationship with Legolas is not nearly as strong as it is with the three of you for I do not see him near as frequently, but he still remains a friend. Whatever help is needed or actions that need to be taken, I can step in if necessary. I am to be leaving in a few days but I can postpone my travels back for a small time. If I can correct any error on my part, or give any aid where needed, I would do that."

Aragorn smiled gently to the Rohirrim King, but was reluctant. Help may be needed for the elven people, but he did not want to get too many people involved with Legolas himself.

"The Elves in Ithilien may need help. I thank you for the offer, both on my part and I will speak for Legolas as well. Yet, I am sure we will be able to handle this on our own."

Éomer looked off. It was obvious he was bothered with the dismissal in a request to help a friend.

Then, the room looked in surprise as Éowyn's steady voice came to light and she spoke softly, relaying the words and ideas better than her brother could.

"We just offer our help, 'tis all." Éowyn said. "Both you and he placed your lives on the line years ago when you traveled to Rohan with Gandalf Greyhame. You both not only aided in freeing our uncle of the accursed spell he was placed under, but marched with our people during a dangerous time and fought alongside them… We know as friends, our repayment for his part is not expected but if there is a way we can help him, as he helped us so long ago, we would like the opportunity to."

Both Faramir and Éomer looked to the Shield Maiden with a pleased spark in their eyes.

"My sister could not have said that any better." Éomer gave Éowyn a soft smile before he turned back to Aragorn.

Aragorn remained mostly expressionless as he heard the voiced concerns and wishes. It was remarkable how many people were offering help, but at the same time it unnerved him. Legolas was always a private person and the king was sure that in this instant, too much help would not be a good thing. It took weeks to get the elf to open up and the man did not want to cause his friend to go back into hiding if others were adamant that they get involved.

Aragorn found that yet again, he did not know what do and picked his wording carefully so as not to dismiss the issue, but move away from it for the moment.

"Once I find more information I will share with you what I can."

Aragorn ended his statement with an incline to his head indicating that was all he could offer, but no one was given a chance to say anything else as Anna stepped into the office. She casually flipped through a few envelops she had in her hand, reading the attention information to make sure nothing accidentally got mixed in with the King's mail.

"Excuse me My Lord Faramir I have a few last minute messages that arrived th-" Anna looked up and instantly saw her king standing before the desk and the maid bowed with respect. "Your Highness, I apologize, I did not know you were in here."

Aragorn just watched her as she stepped in the room and held the letters out to her king. "My Lord, a few late messages came in. The one on top is marked urgent and we received it just before the sun had set."

Aragorn took the letters from her and added them to the stack of papers he already held. "Thank you Anna."

The maid bowed then turned to leave and Aragorn was not too far behind her. "Being as I have urgent messages, I think I will leave to go tend to matters. Faramir, I'll get back with you on the guards."

"Do you need your office, my lord?" Faramir said and began to rise as did Éowyn and Éomer, but the king shook his head.

"No. I will be in the Hall of Fire should you need anything."

* * *

After a quick detour to his rooms to change out of his wet clothing, Aragorn strode to the Hall of Fire. The guards placed by the massive doors saw the king approaching and just like any other time they saw their lord, they straightened their posture and gave a salute.

The king merely glanced at them as he brushed by and Aragorn cautiously pushed the doors open and let himself in.

The hall looked exactly as he left it that morning and being that the sun had set, the only light in the massive space emanated from the fireplace. Aragorn closed the door with care and began to walk forward.

Elladan was sitting in the chair that he had claimed previously and he looked up from whatever was keeping him occupied. At the sight of his human brother, the Noldor-elf rose from his seat while placing a finger over his lips to keep Aragorn silent. The two walked toward each other and Elladan greeted his brother with a quick hug while whispering to him.

"Keep quiet, Legolas still sleeps."

"Still?" Aragorn repeated back and the elf just nodded.

"He is worn out and has not moved all day, for which I am glad. 'Tis unnerving to see an elf sleep this much, but we kept him undisturbed so he could rest as long as needed."

Aragorn made for the couch with stealth and Elladan was right behind him. Just as the elf had been left, Legolas was on the floor at the base of the couch covered with the throw and lying on mattress of pillows and cushions. His eyes were closed just as they had been for weeks when he did doze off.

Aragorn could not help the worry that suddenly gripped him. He knew the elf needed rest for he had been deprived of it for a long time, yet to find that the elf slept the entire day did not sit right with the healer either.

Aragorn crouched by his friend's head and softly touched the wood-elf's cheek and forehead as he checked temperature. There was nothing out of the ordinary and the man moved two fingers to the elf's neck and chest to monitor pulse and evaluate his breathing. Again, there appeared to be nothing wrong with the prince and he was, in fact, sleeping.

"Estel, he sleeps, I assure you. I have been checking on him all day, come sit down and let him be." Elladan said softly.

The king grabbed the edge of the throw and settled it a little differently over the prince and Elladan shook his head to himself as he watched. The adjustment of the blanket was pointless as it did not offer any more warmth, but the Noldor-elf did not say a thing. Aragorn was trying to do all he could for the prince and if settling the materials in a better way offered Aragorn some peace of mind, then Elladan remained quiet.

Aragorn stood and crossed the space to take up the other seat. He set his papers down on the floor and sat back in the chair with a weary huff. It had been a long, cold day and now that he was finally sitting, he could feel how stressful the day had been. He relaxed as a tired throb was felt in his body. He leaned his head back against the chair's backing and closed his eyes briefly but opened them only to stare at the vaulted ceiling above them.

"So... tell me all about it." Elladan said. "Did you find anyone who can help? You were gone an awful long time."

"It is unbelievable how many times we were lead to different people as no one seemed to know how to build a ship." Aragorn said and passed a hand over his face and rubbed his eyes while he continued to talk. "The carpenter whom we sought was not the one needed and so he turned us to another man, who in turn told us about someone else, who then sent us in a different direction…."

Elladan listened to his brother speak and as the man illustrated a picture of his hard time, the elf began to grin. The elf shook his head in mild sympathy and slight humor as he noted the man's irritation.

"I was getting rather fed up with it, but luck did find us and the last place we stopped produced someone who holds the knowledge we need." Aragorn stated and looked back to the sleeping elf on the floor.

"When does it all begin? Were you able to get him to agree?"

"Agree, yes, though he was not exactly willing to help right away. I had to employ him as this will be taking a lot of time and he does not have that to simply give up. He will be coming over tomorrow for a meeting so we can discuss matters further."

Elladan nodded his head absently.

"How about you? How was your day?" Aragorn asked. He could feel the uncertainty building within and he wanted to shift the focus for a while to let some of his stress vanish as he sat.

Elladan held a hand up to present to Aragorn the sight they were already looking at; Legolas sleeping soundly.

"This has been my day." He nearly whispered. "A quiet, uneventful day… I suppose this is rather silly, but watching all of the sleeping has exhausted me." the Noldor-elf said as a yawn crept into the last bit of the sentence and the elf covered his mouth until it passed. Elladan arched his back as he stretched his arms above his head and once through, slumped back into the chair. He cast his brother a lazy look and Aragorn could see the truth in the elf's statement.

Elladan was squinting his eyes as he fought the need to close them and doze off and the whites of his eyes were slightly reddened with boredom-fatigue. Elves were known to be able to go long periods of time without rest, but right now it seemed the dull atmosphere sapped the elf's stamina as it would a mortal. The sleepiness would wear off once the elf got up and moving, but right now neither man nor elf made any attempt to do so and they sat in the quiet calm

Elladan sighed as he tried to clear his head of all sleep. The elf needed something to do. He picked up a hushed conversation in hopes of alleviating his drowsiness.

"I did find a rather interesting book in your library and it has been my only saving grace to keep me well occupied today."

Without a word, Aragorn raised his brows, letting the expression ask for more details rather than speak it.

"Tis shocking and a bit humorous at times, but it is an old medical journal trying to teach 'new and improved methods of healing' to others." The elf's voice was pure sarcasm as he vaguely recapped the book in a hushed tone and Aragorn shifted so he was not craning his neck to face his brother.

"It is from many thousands of years ago and all of the techniques have been proven to be ineffective or even deadly… there was one passage in here about how if a mortal became sick, it meant they had, what was referred to as, 'bad blood' and the book instructs you on how to remove the bad blood… either you surgically open the person to let the blood drain, which of course is absurd as one could die from blood loss, or the book even mentioned placing leeches upon a person so the blood suckers will remove the bad blood for you."

Aragorn's disbelief was hidden as he made a disgusted face.

"I know, I am with you on that… If I was a mortal and became sick, the last thing I would want is to be covered in leeches." Elladan shuddered as the thought of little, slimy, blood-sucking worms all over him. "Can you imagine a time when people thought that could actually be beneficial to someone? I know _Ada_ would have absolutely gone crazy if he found out that people were doing such a thing and calling it medicine."

Aragorn did not know what to say and Elladan bent over his knees to pick up a large leather bound book.

"Here." Elladan held the book out for Aragorn to take. "I do not know if this is worth keeping as it is severely outdated, but I have no need to read this anymore."

Aragorn took the heavy book and placed it in his lap. He did not particularly care about the text at the moment and let out a sigh as he turned his sights back to his friend.

"Estel? Are you well?" Elladan asked. He knew the man was still worried sick over Legolas, but he had hoped that by finding the help needed would bring some comfort to all. Aragorn however, looked far from comforted despite his successes of the day.

"I just hope this works."

"What reasons do you have to doubt that it will?"

Aragorn sighed. "I do not know. It is a great idea, but I just do not see how this is going to work." Aragorn shook his head to himself. "Growing up with you and Elrohir at my side, sitting with me for long periods of time as _Ada _taught me the arts of healing has not only benefited me, but those in need of healing as well. But his wounds are not…." Aragorn's thought vanished as he looked sadly to his friend.

"His wounds are not physical." Elladan finished the statement for his brother and the man nodded his head in agreement. "And you feel as though your skill can only help the sick and mend physical wounds?"

Aragorn slowly nodded as he thought.

"Estel… it is not up to you to heal Legolas. A wounded heart is not something you can pack full of medicinal herbs and watch the ailments disappear. You can help the process, but healing will have to come from Legolas himself. He needs to work through this and find his own comforts and strengths to battle his inner demons. We can offer compassion and an understanding which will generate a safe place for him, but if he wants to heal, *_he_* has to do it and fight his way through this. I know you fear 'failing' Legolas as you have claimed earlier today, but..." Elladan let out a sigh and to prepare himself to be blunt with his human brother. "You can do everything possible for him and more, and yet if Legolas cannot pull himself out of this then there is no hope for him. If that is the case, you certainly did not fail him."

"I know. Logic is taking a stand with my worries. I know I am limitless with what I can do for him, and for that reason, I feel powerless. I know this is not the first time in his life that he has faced personal issues; his mother passed when he was child, his father was… Thranduil-" Aragorn's lack of description of the elf king was easily summed up by his very name. "-he has been witness to the devastation to even more wars and battles than I and yet he persevered through it all. However, the magnitude of his ordeal is just so large…. I do not want to doubt him, I do not want to doubt me… or even you and all the others-"

"Aragorn," Elladan called his brother by his birth name to try and level with the worried man. "You are comparing orcs to goblins. The personal issues he has dealt with, is typically called 'life'. It is not the most ideal one, but can you name one person who has been lucky to not face hardships and overcome them? What Legolas has been put through the past few weeks is not life, but a crime and everything that happened thereafter escalated quickly. It is a curse and a blessing that we do not know how to deal with this, for if we knew exactly what to do, I shudder to think of how many people had to go through it, yet we are lucky that this has not happened frequently."

Elladan got up from his seat stiffly and walked to his brother's chair. He knelt by the side of the plush piece of furniture and placed a comforting hand upon his brother's arm.

"I know you are worried, for I am too, but just know that we are doing all we can for him. Since we do not have experience in this matter, who is to say this will not work, humm?"

Aragorn nodded, indicating that what the elf said was true and he had heard him.

"Come… Let us go to the dining hall and we will get some dinner. Is Elrohir back? Perhaps he could take over while you go get some food."

"Yes, though I do not know where he went. But I would rather stay here. I have some papers to go over-" Aragorn pointed to the sack of mail at his feet.

"This can wait." Elladan interjected but Aragorn casually held his hand up to cut the debate off.

"I will be alright. You go ahead and get something to eat. I'll take over the watch."

"Estel-"

"Elladan, I do not want to go and sit among people right now. Though I will be working, I would prefer this. Besides, I am not all that hungry-"

"Don't you dare start acting like Legolas." the Noldor-elf stated sharply. He had been evaluating the sleeping prince all day and he too noted how thin Legolas had become.

"I'll be fine. I'll give Legolas a few more hours to rest then I'll wake him. I will take my dinner with him to give him some company and see to it that he finally eats something with substance."

Reluctantly, Elladan agreed to it. "Very well."

The two looked up as the door to the hall opened and Arwen slipped in without a sound. Her face lit up when she saw the man but did not speak until she had crossed the room. As she passed the couch, her sights went instantly to the prince to see if was up or sleeping before she continued and was within whispering proximity of her husband.

"Estel! I did not know you had returned!" she leaned over the man and wrapped her arms around his neck as she embraced him and he brought his hands to her waist in a half-hearted attempt to embrace her back.

"I'll be heading to dinner." Elladan said and decided to leave to give Aragorn some time to speak with Arwen. "If you need anything, just call."

After Aragorn agreed, the raven haired elf walked to the doors and let himself out.

Arwen turned back to the man and her eyes sought his to try and read is expression as she softly spoke. "How did your searches go?"

Aragorn smiled. He did not want to keep anything from his wife, but he already dove into feelings with his eldest brother and getting back into it at the moment was not something he wished to do. There would be plenty of time to talk later.

"Good." He said.

"You found someone?"

"I believe so, but I will not get all the details until tomorrow."

Arwen could tell there was a lot not being spoken of but she glanced to the wood-elf who was still asleep and knew now was not the time to press.

"I actually came in to let Elladan know dinner was ready and take a food order but… you are staying?" she asked.

"Yes. I will stay. I will eat when Legolas is up."

Arwen gave the man a tender smiled and leaned in close to brush her lips across his forehead. "Do not wear yourself out Estel." she warned quietly. "I'll tend to the guests at dinner then. Do not worry over it. I would come back, but Eldarion has become rather fussy and he is not settling."

A new look of worry painted Aragorn's face but Arwen did all she could to lay his worry aside. "I think he just has a cold. The weather changed quickly and he is stuffy and has taken on a cough."

"I'll come take a look at him soon."

"Elladan said he would stop by to make sure I have done all I can for him. He might be able to help if you are busy."

"No!" the man nearly shouted and all the horrors he could conjure contorted his face. Just as quickly as the man's voice picked up he looked to Legolas with a grimace, looking to see if the elf had woken, but the prince went unmoving and continued to sleep. Aragorn looked back to his wife and Arwen slowly stood straight and crossed her arms as she skeptically looked back at the man. "I mean… no." Aragorn whispered.

"Why not? Elladan is just as good a healer as you-" she began to say but was cut off by a very worried man. She looked Aragorn over, taking notice of the book that rested in his lap and she scowled slightly.

"*_How_* is he going to help?"

"I am not sure exactly but he said it might be bad blood and he had to go find a few worms?" she questioned and Aragorn paled before Arwen laughed. "Estel!" Arwen whispered harshly in disbelief. "You think Elladan would honestly do that to our son?" she arched a teasing brow at the man and Aragorn sagged back to his chair in sudden relief.

"So Elladan told you about his latest findings?"

"He did. And you ought to know him better than that." She smiled with a hint of wicked humor. "Elladan said he would bring in a fire kettle and let some Athales boil to help sooth him. We gave him some chi weed to help with his cough and I gave him a warm bath not long ago."

As Arwen told of the things she had done for their son, Aragorn checked them off of his mental list. If the infant did have a cold, there was not much more they could do for him at the moment.

"It sounds like you have everything under control."

Arwen took a half seat on the arm of the chair Aragorn was sitting in. "Can I get you anything?" she asked. Aragorn just shook his head. "Alright _meleth-nin. _I will head to dinner then to see to everyone."

The queen stood up and without a sound she walked to the sleeping prince and knelt to the floor. She kissed her fingertips, then ever so gently, pressed her hand the the prince's head where her fingers combed through his hair a few times. She did not linger long and took her leave.

Aragorn watched his wife leave the hall and when the doors were shut, he went to work.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

* * *

_King Elessar,_

_I thank you for your offer in help, but it strikes me as odd that a letter to Legolas is not being answered by him._

_Regardless, I will agree to meet with you for I assume Legolas is still within your halls and I wish to speak with him, as well as you. If he is still there, please request that he stays so we do not miss him in passing during our travels._

_I will make all haste to Minas Tirith, but heavy snows in our parts will hinder our trek and we do not know how long we may be delayed. Our normal arrival time of one day may not be met, so you can expect us there no later than three day's time._

_Regards,_

_Valiändier_

Aragorn refolded the last minute letter that he received before entering the hall and tucked it at his side between the seat cushion and the supportive frame of the overstuffed chair. It surprised the king to have received a response so soon. Yet he was glad to have heard from the elven commander, even if the letter left a prick of guilt for taking it upon himself to interject with the elve's business. His intent was not to make Valiändier suspicious, but apprehensive doubt resonated from the words and the king took a deep breath to help clear his mind.

At least things were moving now. That made Aragorn settle a little bit for they were no longer in a stalemate of not knowing what to do and waiting for a major breakthrough. Progress was made to get Legolas the personal help he needed. The king hoped that he could take on the responsibilities of the Ithilien elves, or at least offer help so Legolas did not have to deal with it and he could focus on himself. There was a lot of unknown factors to everything, but for the time being, it felt like the pieces were finally coming together. Now they just had to be put in place.

The king glanced at the elf who was still sleeping on the floor. Just as Elladan had stated, it was unnerving to the expert healer that Legolas had been in a state of deep sleep for the entire day. Even now, the elf showed no signs of waking any time soon. Aragorn knew it was critical for the prince to rest, but this was not normal…

The king began to motivate himself to wake the elf, but stopped. He was unsure if the elf would be able to sleep regularly from here on out and did not want to deprive the elf of any sleep, for he had been going without it for weeks.

With another deep breath to get the king moving, Aragorn turned his attentions back to his work. He placed the outdated medical journal over his lap and used it as a homespun tabletop and he laid the clean parchments over the cover to write his responses. The white quilled pen was scribbling away as the king gave his responses to each matter, but over time, the man had to halt for a moment. He set the quill down as he rotated his wrist in an attempt to clear a cramp that was building in his knuckles. Aragorn let out a soft sigh and he used his other hand to massage the aching kinks out while he leaned back in his chair to take a small breather from his work.

_Crack!_

An exploding pop emanated from the fireplace as one of the logs fueling the flames roasted over the glowing coals and licking flames. The noise went mostly unnoticed until another, louder crack sounded and it jerked Aragorn in slight alarm. The man looked to the flames and noted sparks had been cast from the fireplace and were peppered over the stone hearth and rung. The small embers began to smoke on the woven materials and Aragorn set his work down quickly to take care of the mater.

He stomped the cinders out before they could catch the rug on fire.

_Crack-Pop!_

Another burst in the hearth sounded as the tree sap heated up in the woody confines of the log, causing the heated matter to expand in order to relieve the pressure. More sparks flew into the main hall. Aragorn kicked them out before he made for the fireplace and grabbed the fire poker. He began to shift the flaming timber to put an end to the dangers and he pulled the troublesome log off of the flames and rolled it to the back of the furnace.

He was too preoccupied to notice the change in his companion as Legolas began to stir in his sleep. The sharp cracking noise filtered through the haze of slumber and disrupted the peaceful stillness of his unconsciousness.

* * *

Crack!

_Another snap of the whip landed upon his bare shoulders. His tormentors had enough of his resistance. The prince bit into the cloth gag as he tried to manage with the pain. Several stripes had been laid across his back already and a few of them had cut rather deep, causing his blood to leak out of the wounds._

_The men were intent in making him obey and they were having enough of the strong willed elf. Even with the haze of the lingering subduing drugs within his system and the promise of more pain, the elf proved to be more than a handful. The thick man who acted as a guard pulled at the chain that was connected to a collar that gave the elf boundaries in which he could move. Rope cording held the elf's hands bound together while the other man delivered the lashings._

"_Co'mon Dreager! You gotta help me out! The whelp is too feisty!" the guard hollered._

_Dreager brought the lash down upon Legolas' already burning shoulders._

Crack!

"_What the hell do you think I'm doing?!" Dreager snapped back. "Just keep pulling him, he will tire soon. We do not have much farther to go until we reach town."_

_Legolas pulled against his restraints, but another forceful strike pushed him forward._

Crack!

_He unintentionally gave up his ground as the men kept dragging him along._

"_Just drug 'em again!" The guard said as he gave a mighty yank on the lead line, causing the prince to stumble forward and he fell to his knees. His neck was quickly becoming sore from the constant pull and all the harsh jerks the guard kept giving him was only making it worse._

"_Nah... too much will kill him!" Dreager said and he followed the prince and raised his hand, preparing for another crack if the elf did not rise._

"_And what do you suppose you are doin' with the whip? If you damage 'em too much no one will want him!" the guard countered. "Just drug him so we can make this easier on ourselves. If he dies, so be it, but at least we won't be fighting him every-" the guard gave a frustrated yank of the chain, causing the elf to fall further forward onto the ground. The guard kept pulling, dragging the elf on his stomach for a few paces. "-Step of the way. I'm doin' all the work here! An' I say give him the drug!"_

_The guard came forward and placed a thick booted foot between the elf's lacerated shoulder blades and practically stood on him to keep him down. The elf was reeling from the abuse and he did not fight much at the moment. He was trying now to trick the guards into thinking he had given up so he could use that to his advantage and make a better attempt to escape. But for now, he lay there on the ground as the large man placed a majority of his weight upon the foot that held the elf down, twisting the foot to further inflict pain and the elf moaned through his gag in agony._

_Dreager was reluctant, but gave in. They had been fighting with the blond creature nearly every waking moment and the only time they had any peace was when he was out cold. He pulled a phial out of his pack and soaked a cloth with the potent substance then made his way over to the elf._

"_Let up." Dreager said to his companion and the guard stepped off of the elf as requested. Dreager placed the heel of his boot against the prince's hip and gave him a shove to flip him on to his back. The man stood over the elf, getting ready to cover his nose and mouth with the saturated cloth._

_Legolas had no use of his hands but maneuvered quickly and delivered a swift kick to the man's chest. His blow struck Dreager in the center of the glorious emblem of the white tee with scattered stars that decorated the captor's stolen tunic._

_Dreager fell back and struggled to breathe. The hefty kick knocked the wind out of his lungs and the man could not move. The guard could be heard yelling at his comrade to get up while he engaged in a struggle of his own with the battling elf. Legolas had gained his feet and was trying to get to a nearby tree to wrap the lead line around the truck, therefore preventing more yanks to his neck that would pull him off balance. His bound hands were gripping the chain to give him more leverage, but the guard gave him no slack and began a tug-of-war with the lithe being._

_Surprisingly, the elf was stronger despite being wounded and the fact that the man had nearly three times the weight on him as the elf. The guard was trying to backpedal to keep the elf with them, but inch by inch, the man was losing._

_Legolas dug deep within himself to find more strength. His burning muscles were beginning to quake with the continued effort to fight the men off. The collar was digging into his neck, and the rough edges of the crude choker was chafing his skin until it began to bleed, but the elf did not let that stop him. It would not be long until Dreager got up and if the elf was to escape, this might be his only opportunity._

_While he was slowly pulling the guard away, he knew he was expending a tremendous amount of energy in doing so. The effort to pull the guard was proving to be too much. The abuse and nightmarish treatment he had been subjected to earlier took a part of his strength and the drugs that were constantly used on him left him shaky. A sudden thought came to the elf and he acted upon it._

_Legolas sprang forward. The chain went slack and the guard stumbled backwards for a few steps before he toppled over and the elf ran forward toward the guard. In a flash, the elf brought a knee-kick to the side of the guard's head, but the man was able to pull and arm up to protect himself. Legolas' blow followed through and the momentum went through the arm, causing the guard's wrist to jam into the side of his own head. The guard became dazed and his hold on the chain loosened. Legolas pulled at it, wrenching it from his grasp._

_The elf took a rushed step, however his body went forward but his head did not. A strong grip found its way into the prince's long hair and the hold gave the man just the upper hand needed to bring the elf down. Dreager quickly pulled the prince to bend at the waist and his arm wrapped around the elf's throat, putting him into a squeezing headlock._

_Legolas tried to shove the other man off of him, but his hands were still bound together and it did not give him the freedoms to use his own arms and fight back adequately. His fight was reduced to a struggle and the elf moved frantically to try and get free._

"_Come-on! Hurry up! I'm going to lose him!" Dreager shouted and the guard pulled himself together. He made haste to help his partner._

"_What do I do?" The guard yelled. Though the elf was struggling, he was not getting away, but in the same instance, Dreager was tied up and could not move himself._

"_Uh.. just… help me pin him!"_

_The guard reached in and hooked his massive arm around the elf's waist._

"_Let go!" He ordered and Dreager let up on Legolas' neck. In a fluid motion, the guard picked the elf up just enough to get him off his feet, then tackled the elf to the earth. He used his hefty body weight to his advantage and crushed the elf into submission._

"_Get the drugs Dreager!" the guard shouted. He looked up to see his partner walking off to locate the dropped potions and cloth. The guard looked to the elf who was effectively motionless beneath him and he gave Legolas a mocking smile._

"_Thought you could get away from us, whore?" the man sneered darkly in the elf's face. The guard could feel every muscle in the elf become tense and he tried to writhe out of the firm grasp, but the elf's movements were restricted._

_Finally, Dreager located what he was looking for and sprinted over to the heap of bodies. He dropped to a knee and leaned over to apply the wet cloth to the elf's face._

_They waited and Legolas shook his head as much as he could to avoid the cloth. but it was a feeble attempt._

"_It's not working!" the guard said impatiently and Dreager leaned over to grind the cloth into the elf's nose and mouth. The black tunic was the only thing before the elf's eyes and he could see each silver thread that was embroidered upon it to create the logo of Gondor._

"_That's because he is holding his breath!" Dreager stated. "Just be patient… either he will pass out, which at that point he will just start breathing again, or he will inhale. It's up to him how he wants to be taken." Dreager said and he patted the elf's head as though he were stroking a family pet to belittle the elf further. "Don't fight it, you've already lost." the man said in false compassion._

_The guard snorted as he found humor in Dreager's remark. "Heh! He lost a long time ago!"_

_Legolas began to panic anew but, there was nothing he could do. His lungs ached for air and his chest began to spasm as he fought with the automatic attempts to gasp. However, he dare not let any air pass into his body. The world was turning hazy and grey while spots began to appear before his eyes. Everything became confusing to him before he slipped from reality and his body went slack from lack of air._

* * *

Aragorn placed a few fresh logs on the flames to replace what was removed from the fire then set off to find a spark screen that was usually kept close by. On the far side of the fireplace, a folded, hinged grate was propped against the wall and the man retrieved it. He unfolded it quietly and positioned it in front of the flames to prevent any more sparks from leaving the fire place.

"No..." a sluggish whispered word was heard behind the man and Aragorn turned to find the prince twitching in his sleep. He had pressed himself up against the base of the couch and his once relaxed appearance was now tense. His eyes were clenched and a feral grimace curled the prince's lips with disdain and disgust.

"Legolas?" Aragorn called out quietly but it was evident the prince was too deep in his troubles to hear the soft call. The prince was battling a night terror and Aragorn rushed forward to pull the elf out of it. He dropped to the floor in front of his friend and gripped his shoulder to jostle him.

"Legolas! Wake up _mellon-nin_! You are safe! Come back to the waking world! Come on Legolas, wake up!"

The elf thrashed weakly as if he were trying to fight the man off and Aragorn shook the elf a little firmer when his attempts proved to be ineffective.

"Legolas please… Listen to me! Wake up. You are safe!"

The elf's blue eyes snapped open and a gasp of shock and fear was forced violently from his lungs. His surroundings seemed different yet he was certain he was still somewhere in the forest being forced to a small town. A form was standing before him, but the light of the fire backlit the person, giving the elf no clear visual of who was near him. The face was dark and the silhouette of the man came closer. The frantic words the person spoke made no sense and the being reached out for him. The only thing Legolas could clearly make out was the Gondorian tunic and the elf went ballistic.

He knocked the hands away from him and tried to get away. Using what strength he could find, the elf scooted back on his hands as best as he could, but fumbled. His hands did not register touch which made for a tricky escape and his palms kept slipping out from under him as he tried to kick himself back.

Aragorn pulled away abruptly. He had never seen the blatant terror in his friend's eyes before and it was horrifying to witness. He held his hands up, showing he was unarmed and giving the elf a visual that he was not going to harm him. The elf was moving far too fast to have really seen the gesture as he kept slipping with his attempts to get away. Aragorn wanted desperately to help his friend. The only thing he could think to do was talk to the elf in hopes of letting his words reach him rather than grab for him and cause more fear. The elf got his feet under himself and stood unsteadily. Aragorn followed. He kept space between himself and his friend, but he would not let the elf get too far.

The form in front of Legolas pursued him as he rose from the floor and tried to get away. The elf's insides tightened in fearful distress and a splintering chill raced down his spine. He did not want to give his captors the opportunity to get a hold of him again. His thigh bumped into something as he clumsily maneuvered around the couch and the elf placed his hand upon the arm of the furniture to keep himself steady. He knew his hand's placement and yet he could not feel what was under them. He took a quick look to see what was amiss.

The confusion of lack of feeling turned to a quick flash of hope when he realized the rope that held his hands tethered together had been removed. Out of desperation, the elf threw a solid cross and his fist connected with the side of the person's skull. The being's head clacked to the side causing the entire body to twist as it fell. The person dropped instantly to the floor, face down.

It did not move.

The elf was stunned for a moment. He saw what he had done, but there was a disconnect that left him doubtful. He did not feel the impact in his hand and he was leery about the man he took out. He was unsure if he had made contact, but the person did not rise.

The elf backed up now that he was clear of the couch, but he kept his eyes glued to the area, watching intently to make sure the person did not get up. After a few moments, the elf turned on his heels to runoff.

His boots connected with the stone floor and the sound of his hurried steps echoed oddly in the massive hall. The elf darted his sights about, now completely unsure where he was. He was in the forest just a moment ago, but now he was in the center of a massive structure. He ducked slightly, scared that others were watching him in the darkened corners of the expanse and he tried to make his appearance smaller in hopes of getting away undetected. Nothing made sense to him right now. There was a familiarity with his surroundings, but he could not place his location at the moment and he was reeling with the rush of everything that had happened.

He turned to look back where he fell his opponent, but a couch kept the man blocked from sight and the elf gulped.

A soft click sounded a good distance behind the prince and he whirled around.

A door had been placed in a far wall and it opened slightly, allowing a person to enter. The strong posture and broad shoulders defined the being as male and the man had long dark hair that was pulled back from his face. In one hand he balanced a plate of food while he held utensils and a wine glass in the other.

Legolas' heart lurched forward and he backpedaled slowly, holding his hands out to display he was unarmed and he did not want to fight. He only wished to leave.

"Legolas!" the person called out in joyous surprise and the sound of his own name being uttered by a cheery voice struck the blond prince.

Elladan closed the door to the hall and stepped forward, but Legolas backed up and the Noldor-elf stopped instantly.

"Legolas?" the twin questioned with concern. He watched the blond elf without making any advancement. It was unsettling the see the slinking way the prince moved back and he held trembling palms up, not in surrender, but to try and ward the other off. The delighted joy the Noldor-elf had at seeing his friend finally awake drained away. It was a sad display that the Wood-elf was putting up and Elladan crouched to the floor to deposit the plate of food and other items to free up his hands.

Elladan stood. He took a careful step towards the prince and Legolas backed up.

"Legolas? Are you alright?" Elladan mimicked the prince and held his hands up too. It was obvious Legolas was worked up and Elladan was doing all he could to try and not escalate the issue.

"Stop!" the prince demanded and the Noldor-elf did just that.

"Legolas? What is wrong _mellon-nin_?" he asked from afar.

"What?" the Wood-elf looked back to couch, then to the person several yards away.

"Legolas? Just… calm down… do you know who I am?" The prince did not answer and his panted breathing was the only thing to be heard. "It is only me, Elladan… may I come to you my friend?"

"What?" the elf's voice bordered a sob but his expression was dicey. "Elladan?"

"Yes tis only me. What is going on, Legolas?" Elladan asked softly. He looked around the prince towards the fireplace to try and find his brother, but no one was present. "Legolas? Where is Estel?" he asked easily.

"Where are we?" the elf didn't even hear the question regarding the human and Legolas looked about in every direction, trying to piece things together.

"You… you are safe in Aragorn's halls." The dark haired elf walked forward carefully, but hurried. He was just a few feet away from the blond prince and the Noldor-elf ducked his head a little playfully to try and get a glimpse of the prince's face. "Legolas? What is going on? What happened? Look at me..."

The blond tried to look at the raven haired elf but he kept repeating uncertain double takes of the space as reality was beginning to seep back into his awareness.

Elladan closed the space between himself and the Wood-elf and placed wary hands upon the prince's shoulders. Legolas was shaking like a leaf in the wind and Elladan became further confused.

"What happened? Tell me. It is alright Legolas. Just tell me what happened."

"Th-..." the prince gulped. "They're here."

"Who is here?" Elladan asked and he finally looked into the wide eyes that were locked upon his face. "Who is here Legolas?"

The prince could not speak of his captors who had brutalized him and the elf clenched his jaw and shook his head quickly.

"Legolas? Where is Estel? He was here with you. Did he leave?"

The prince timidly shook his head. He had no idea what Elladan was talking about, but he looked back to the couch to see if the men were going to get up and come after them. He wanted to leave, now.

Elladan followed Legolas' line of sight. Something triggered this response in the prince and the Noldor-elf decided to investigate. "Legolas I am sure there is nothing in here to cause you any harm."

The twin brushed past Legolas to see what had the prince so worked up, but he was stopped as the Wood-elf let a defensive snarled loose.

"NO!" Legolas latched onto the Noldor-elf's arm to stop him, but he could not tell if he had Elladan in his grasp. His hands could not feel the fabric of the elf's sleeve, nor could he feel the extremity he was clutching desperately. Legolas tightened his grip, digging his fingers into the soft flesh of the raven haired elf's forearm. The prince's shout stunned Elladan, but he quickly grimaced.

"Ouch! Legolas!" Elladan gripped the elf's wrists and began to pry them away from him, but the Wood-elf would not relent.

"No! Elladan! Do not! They-" the elf was becoming hysterical again. He still did not realize he was safe and the threat of being captured was still on the other side of the furniture. He could not let Elladan become a prisoner and share his atrocious fate.

Elladan broke the vise-like grip and continued to the couch anyway.

"Elladan! Please!" the Wood-elf was on the verge of terrorized tears and begged his friend to listen to him. He was powerless for he did not have the courage to follow Elladan and stood in place watching in fear as the Noldor-elf made for the couch.

"Legolas?! What do you believe to be over there? I can assure you there is nothing! Come see for yourself!" The Noldor-elf retraced his steps to Legolas and grabbed the prince by the elbow. He began to pull him forward to prove his point, but it was Legolas' turn to struggle and he fought against Elladan.

"No!"

Elladan wanted to lay this to rest. He released his hold and left the Wood-elf while he crossed the room to round the couch.

To Elladan's shock, Aragorn lay on his stomach and he did not move.

"Estel?" the elf called out, but no response was given. "Estel?!... ESTEL!" The twin rushed forward and immediately began checking his brother. "Legolas! What happened?!" he demanded. The elf turned the man onto his back. Elladan felt for temperature and pulse. He pushed Aragorn's left eye open with his fingers to note the gray eye staring blankly at him and the pupil was dilated.

**_Head trauma?_** Elladan thought.

The elf began to run his fingers through the man's dark wavy locks when he found a large knot upon his scalp.

_**Swelling…. An allergic reaction?... No… His eyes are not responding to light… this is head trauma._** Elladan began to assess the situation to lead to a diagnosis.

"Legolas!" Elladan straightened up and looked over the back of the couch at the elf who was staring wildly in his direction. "Legolas… something has happened to Estel. I need you calm down and tell me what happened."

Elladan's stern words caused dread to form in the prince's core.

**_Why was Aragorn over there?_** Legolas questioned himself.

"Legolas!…. Come! - Here!" Elladan ordered, breaking his words into short tones to get his request heard. Slowly the blond elf felt compelled to obey and walked forward. He looked over the couch and to the man that lay before Elladan.

It was Aragorn.

Aragorn was on the floor.

Why was Aragorn on the floor?

He didn't…. He did not… no… He could not have struck his close friend! Aragorn was not anywhere near him!

Or was he?

"No…." Legolas breathed the single word, wishing his eyes were playing some kind of trick on him.

"Legolas! I cannot ask you again _mellon-nin_! I need to know what happened! Did you…. did you hit him?" Elladan stated with disbelieve, but he was beginning to put things together on his own and somehow knew that this was exactly what had happened.

"No, no, no, no..." Legolas began to back up and shook his head. All the looks of horror and terror came back to his fair face and he began to retreat slowly.

"Legolas. Stop!" Elladan could see the tension on the blond elf and he became torn; He could not leave Aragorn to comfort the prince, yet he doubted Legolas' rationality and did not want to risk another repeat of last night's attempt at death. "Legolas come here! Please!" His demands were becoming frantic as the prince would not listen to him. He lost sight of the elf over the couch and Elladan did the only thing he could think to do at the moment.

"GUARDS!" Elladan shouted.

Within seconds the two men stationed outside of the hall pulled the doors open and hesitantly walked in. They had orders not to enter from their steward, yet someone from inside clearly needed their help. They stood in the doorway and looked about trying to find those inside, but their eyes landed on the blond elf who pulled up short and began to back away from them.

Two men, in Gondorian jerkins…

A new zing of terror rippled through the prince but it was too much for his body to handle. His limbs became heavy with apprehension. Legolas felt trapped. He sank to his knees in defeat and hung his head.

"Please." He tried to plead with them, but his anxieties were beginning to attack his breath and it was becoming difficult to draw in air.

The guards looked between each other in confusion. "You… requested us?" they asked of the prince.

"No! Over here!" Elladan stood up and shouted. The guards looked over to Elladan who was a great distance off and he barked orders to the men from across the hall. "I need one of you to go fetch my brother! Last I saw him, he was in the dining hall. Tell him it is urgent. I need the other to go to the healing wing and ask the healers for a concussion kit. Bring it here. Go quickly!"

The men bowed then left the Fire Hall with their orders. Elladan glanced quickly at Legolas. The prince was sitting upon his knees doubled over.

"Legolas, stay right there!" He ordered then turned his attentions back to his unresponsive brother. Right now, Aragorn took priority.

The Noldor elf began to run his fingers through the thick hair at the man's forehead, trying to encourage the man to rouse with his gentle ministrations.

"Estel. If you can hear me I need you to wake up." Of course he knew the man could not, but Elladan talked to his brother regardless. At least it felt like he was doing something rather than just sit there.

Time dragged on and the elf took a moment to rise and check on Legolas. He knew the elf was still in the hall, but he had not made a sound since pleading with the guards to leave him alone.

"Legolas?" He called out softly. He found the Wood-elf's stooped form still in the center of the blank space. He held his bowed head in his hands and his body was being wracked by either sobs or pants, but which one, the elf could not tell. "Legolas, I understand you are upset and something has grieved you, but I need you to speak with me."

"I am sorry… I am so sorry..." Legolas said between quick intakes of air. He began to realize what he had done and it crushed him.

"Legolas, there is no need for apologies, but I need you to talk me, *_now_*." Elladan was desperate to get answers. "Did you strike Estel? I need to know so I can get him the help he needs. He has a lump on his head. I know not if it due to some sort of allergy, or if he received a blow to the head. Please…. Tell me what happened."

"It was me… I did it." the elf let the words tumble from his lips. "I did not know it was him…. He was not here!"

Elladan rolled his eyes in frustration. He was torn between two people. His heart went out to the distressed prince, but his worry for his brother's health kept him glued in place.

"Alright Legolas. Just hold tight _mellon-nin_. All will be well. Just stay there. Please wait for me. Alright Legolas? Do not leave."

Elladan dropped back to the floor and grabbed a pillow from the bedding that previously supported the prince and lifted his human brother's head to place the pillow behind it. The elf brushed the dark locks from Aragorn's face tenderly and his hands moved to the knot he felt only moments ago. The lump was heating up from the swell and it was growing in size.

"_Ai Valar_ Estel… you are going to have a nasty headache when you come to..." he said to himself. The elf pushed his brother's eye open again, taking notice that there was no change in the human's condition.

Still some minutes passed, but finally, the doors to the hall were pulled open once again and Elrohir stepped in.

"Elladan?!" His tone held some worry after being told the matter was urgent and he rushed forward, not bothering to close the door. He saw the prince in a heap on the cold stone floor off to the side and his rush slowed.

"What took you so long?!" Elladan snapped and he stood up to find his twin entering the hall. His stress was getting to him and he still had not exactly forgiven his brother for placing him in a sticky situation with Tauriel. To Elladan, it seemed his brother was playing with fire and it was only a matter of time before he became burned again. He did not realize it, but the lingering frustrations with his brother were coming back despite the situation.

"Well excuse me if I cannot travel as fast as a gust of wind through the halls… I got here as fast I could." Elrohir defended himself. He hated it when Elladan was cross. Elrohir came fourth, but did not go to his brother, rather he headed for Legolas. "What is going on?" Elrohir asked his brother tersely.

Elladan did not want his brother anywhere near the prince at the moment. He had seen for himself that the prince was not stable but it would take too much time to retell the story. He got up and intercepted his brother's path while giving the necessary details to Elrohir.

"Estel has a concussion and I need you to tend to him."

"What?" Elrohir gave pause in his steps and looked to his brother in bewilderment.

"Yes he is on the floor on the other side of the couch. He has a knot on the right side of his head. I have someone fetching a healing kit to aid you. It should be here any minute. I need to get Legolas out of here." Elladan brushed past Elrohir and came to stand by the prince.

Reluctantly, Elrohir took off in the other direction to find Aragorn out cold on the floor.

"What happened?!"

"I'm not sure, but I need to you see to Estel." Elladan said. He crouched beside the blond prince and took hold of his forearm. "Come, Legolas. Let us leave. All will be well. Just come with me please." He hauled Legolas to his feet.

"I'm so sorry." the prince grieved.

"Hush. I am sure this was a misunderstanding. Just come with me. I need you to calm down." Elladan said kindly, yet was still stern to get his words across. Once standing, Elladan hooked his arm around the Wood-elf's in a supportive lock and lead him from the fire hall. On his way out, Elladan glanced over his shoulder to his twin brother.

**_What happened?_** Elrohir mouthed the words, but did not make a sound.

Elladan just shrugged and gave his brother a sympathetic glance before supporting Legolas and walking from the hall.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

* * *

Legolas kept his sights riveted to the floor as Elladan ushered him through the hallways. He could not believe what he had just done. His addled mind raced through everything that just happened, but the only sensible image he could clearly see was Aragorn's prostrate form on the floor. He could not quite place Aragorn as the person who was in the room with him, for his recall was a complete twisted haze. The only person he could see was a dark creature intent to harm him. He knew now that he must have made a mistake, but it did not make up for the fact that Aragorn had been severely injured due to his inability to distinguish between nightmares and reality.

And yet, Legolas was not totally convinced he had struck Aragorn either. He knew there was no other explanation as to why Aragorn was lying where he fell his opponent, but he could distinctly remember the lack of feeling within his fist when he lashed out. Even now, his hand was not throbbing from the blow that would have caused his knuckles to become tender. The elf flexed his hand to see if he felt any pain.

He felt nothing.

Nothing at all.

He could not feel his fingertips in the palm of his hand when his fingers curled up and he could not feel the tightening of the muscles as he made a fist.

Legolas huffed to himself.

Just because he did not feel it did not mean it didn't happen. Surely, Aragorn was not lying on the floor out of boredom and the elf accepted the fact that he did punch the man. There was just no other explanation for it and he felt sick with this knowledge.

Elladan kept his arm locked around Legolas' and walked the prince down the halls. The entire way, he kept uttering calming phrases, trying to encourage the notion that all would be alright, but Legolas just could not believe the words he spoke. It seemed every step caused his despair deepen and the prince took in another ragged breath.

"I am so sorry." He tried to make his voice strong, but the words that left his lips were no more than whispered regret and the prince shook his head with frustration.

"Legolas, stop this… It was not your fault, I am sure."

The prince pulled up and jerked his arm out of Elladan's grasp.

"*_I_* struck Estel. How is it *_not_* my fault?" the prince argued back. His stare was icy, daring Elladan to call him a liar.

"Peace, Legolas..." Elladan held his hands up in surrender, but the prince only became more upset.

"No!" the elf backed up. "How is this alright?! *_How_* is this acceptable?! I have become a danger to myself and everyone around me!"

Elladan dropped his hands and gave the Wood-elf a pleading stare. "Legolas..."

The Noldor-elf did not know what to say. He felt as though all the words of comfort he could speak had been said to the prince, but Legolas was not listening.

"I should not be here." Legolas looked off. His harsh look transformed to deep worry and the elf clenched his jaw as his bottom lip began to twitch. It was the beginnings of a new breakdown, but the elf held his breath to push his way through it.

"What do you mean?" Elladan asked quietly. "Where should you be other than in the presence of of friends who want to help you?" He expected the prince's response to indicate he wanted out of the palace, or to go back to Ithilien, even admit that he now wanted to sail to Valinor rather than build a ship, but the mumbled words the Wood-elf spoke were unexpected and it caused the raven-haired Noldor to scowl.

"I should be locked up… It is no more than I deserve-"

"Alright, enough!" Elladan intercepted sharply. "You blaming yourself is not going to make matters better for any one… not you, not me, not Estel - No one." Elladan crossed his arms and it was his turn to glare at Legolas. The Wood-elf was taken aback and he took another step away from Elladan, but the Noldor-elf made up the space and came forward.

"You struck Estel… it happened." Elladan continued. "There is nothing that can be done about that now, but we can move away from this and find ways to make it better. I know you Legolas… I know you have nothing but the highest regards for your friends and their well being. I also know that I was not in the room when it happened. However, I can safely assume you did not strike Estel out of anger or any ill will towards him. Something deeper happened."

He came to stand a few inches in front of the prince. He reached out and clasped Legolas' shoulder warmly. His lecturing sternness dissolved and he gave a slight smile to bring the intensity of his words down.

"I wish to talk to you about it. I am just as confused as you are, but we can determine what happened, alright? Please come with me."

Legolas took a quick breath. "Where are we going?" he asked quietly. He did not know why, but he felt anxious at being lead to some unknown place.

"Well, I intended to go to your rooms, but we can go elsewhere if you wish."

The idea disgusted the elf and he had no desires to go back to his own space. The very rock walls in his quarters seemed to absorb all the ill feelings over the course of the past few weeks. It held too many tainted memories of constantly bolting awake from a night terror, or struggling to fight off the trapped feeling that consumed him. Within those very walls he had even lashed out at Elrohir in the same fashion he just did with Aragorn and Legolas swallowed thickly.

"I do not want to go to my rooms."

"Sure… how about my rooms?" Elladan offered, but the prince did not agree right away. "It will be peaceful and I have a few things in there already that can help you. We will not be bothered and you can stay as long as you like."

Legolas nodded uncertainly, but did not look to the other. Elladan came to stand beside the prince and wrapped an arm around his shoulders to lead him down the hall once more.

"Just come with me Legolas. All will be well."

The pair walked through the halls for some time without speaking. Though the elves moved without a sound, Legolas could almost hear his own steps in his mind. The repetitive imaginary noise pulled him from reality and he began wading in thought again. The nightmare came forth and he tried to recognize Aragorn in his flash of panic. The dark form now took on the identities of his captors that constantly plagued his rationality. Just like his dreams, either the guard or Dreager were reaching for him. He hated seeing their face. Just the thought of it made his skin crawl and his heart clench.

"Legolas would you like something to eat?" Elladan's soft voice pulled the prince from his thoughts and he looked up to note they were making their way past the dining hall. His senses flooded back to him and his sharp nose could now smell the food that had been cooking all day and sat in the feasting room to be consumed. The elf did not think much on the matter and shook his head.

"No, I am not hungry." How could he think about food at a time like this?

Elladan stopped them in the hall just a few feet from the open doors. "I think you ought to eat." Elladan chided lightly. "It may help clear your mind so you can think a bit better. We can take it to my rooms and eat there, we do not have to sit at the table."

Legolas let out a huffed breath.

"Legolas… you need to eat. You have needed to eat for a while. Adrenaline and stress cannot be your only source of energy to fuel your body…. look what it has done to you." The elf looked Legolas up and down as if to prove a point. Legolas did not respond and kept his sights before him and down the hall rather than at the twin. He knew Elladan and his persistence. It did not matter if the prince refused or not. Elladan had already made up his mind on the matter. In an instant, Legolas was proven right.

"Well, I am placing a food order and will have it delivered to us. You can tell me what you want, or I can make that decision for you."

Legolas gave no response.

Elladan walked them both to the doorway of the dining hall. He released his casual hold of the wood-elf and stepped inside the massive dining room. He flagged down a servant who was running about and Elladan placed his requests with the staff member.

"Excuse me, sir. I am requesting food service be brought to my quarters."

The servant bowed to Elladan and listened intently to the elf's order. "I need two plates of tonight's meal brought forth-" As he spoke, his eyes drifted over the shoulder of the waiter and caught a glimpse of Tauriel who was still taking her meal at the table. She had seen the noble elf when he stepped into the hall and the second he looked to her, she dropped her gaze to try and hide the fact she was watching him.

Elladan took on a stern appearance before he turned back to the servant. "And please add a bowl of broth and bread to the order."

"Anything else, my lord?" the server asked with a bow.

"No. Thank you." Elladan stated without any sincerity. With a final look to the red haired elf who was intently looking downward, he turned on his heels and headed back to Legolas.

The hall behind him was empty and Elladan paused for a moment.

"Oh no…. Legolas?... Legolas?!" He rushed into the vast hallway and looked one direction, then the next.

At the far end of the corridor, Legolas was moseying his way towards the residency portion of the kingdom. He did not feel like waiting in the hall and he did not feel so trapped when he was on the move.

Elladan let out a sigh in relief. "_Mellon-nin_? Halt! Wait for me."

The prince stopped and turned to glance at Elladan who began a quick march towards the retreating prince. His steps faltered however when someone called out to him timidly with a false name.

"Elrohir?" Tauriel made a snap decision to speak with him and she ended her meal quickly. She had a lot to say and wanted to get this over with. Elrohir appeared to be so upset with her and she did not blame him. It was best to do this now and not let it drag out. Besides, ever since her rejection of Elrohir, she felt no one wanted to be around her; The king had been unseen for some time, Elladan, Gimli, and Arwen were very reserved when she did see them, and even Legolas seemed to have retreated from her. She was all alone in this massive human city and she hated it.

She was beginning to regret leaving Dale. Her mission to find a better life for herself was turning out no better than her previous living conditions.

Her own heartache plagued her and now it seemed to be the cause of the tension she noted. She rejected Elrohir, and they were rejecting her in return.

She had to set things straight. She could not be turned away from here for there was no other place for her to go. Legolas gave his word that she could reunite with the elves under his care, but doubted she could do that now if he was avoiding her. Even though 'Elladan' told her this was not so, it was so easy not to believe him.

She had to fix things.

Elladan cringed when he heard his brother's name meant for his acknowledgment.

**_I thought I told Elrohir to take care of this!_**

He took a slow deep breath to banish the sour look on his face, then turned to look at the elf maiden behind him.

"Lady Tauriel." he gave a slight incline to his head while his acquiescence was short. He opened his mouth to brush her off, but she spoke first. Her voice was tender yet uncertain and her crystal clear eyes bore into him with a look of regret and sorrow.

"May I speak with you please?"

"My Lady, I-" he looked her square in the eye and could almost feel her pain and the apology that was about to be uttered. He could see in the depths of emerald green spheres the sincerity of her unspoken atonement. However, there was something else there too… it looked like… hope? The look in her eyes pulled upon his heartstrings.

Elladan breathed deeply and pushed a grim smile across his face.

A realization began to creep across his mind. He could be upset with his brother for swapping their identities and placing him in the middle of this most awkward situation. In fact, he would not let his brother live it down for a long time.

But why was he so upset with her? It was not his place to be dismayed if they were drawn to each other. Matters of the heart are best kept between two individuals and he was not one of those people, despite who Tauriel thought he was. Tauriel was not doing anything wrong, actually she was doing the opposite. She had taken on the responsibilities to correct her brash actions and the noble elf actually respected her for that, though now was the utmost inconvenient time for this to be happening.

"I know you are eager to have a word with me," he said. "but I honestly do not have the time to speak at the moment. Perhaps I can come find you later when I am not busy with other matters?"

"All I wanted to say was, I am sorry. That is all." Her repetitive speech gave away her nervousness and she shifted around while she spoke.

"Tauriel-" Elladan tried to get her to stop, for the real Elrohir was the one who needed to hear this, but she pressed on.

"You have been nothing but kind to me and I regret acting the way I did. You have every right to be upset with me."

"My lady-"

"But I wanted you to know that it was not you… You did nothing wrong. I am sorry my heart does not feel the same way, but -"

"Tauriel!" Elladan barked and effectively cut her off. "We will talk about this later."

Tauriel pursed her lips. It was very clear Elrohir wanted nothing to do with her and his forgiveness might not ever come about. He just wanted to push her aside. She had prepared herself for this, but honestly hoped Elrohir could forgive her.

"There is nothing more to talk about, Elrohir." Tauriel said gloomily, but in a snap, her tone changed and it was a little tart. "I am sorry, that is all and I will not be a bother to you any longer."

She brushed past the twin to leave him. She said her peace and that was all she wanted to do. If he did not forgive her, there was really nothing more she could do with the exception of devoting herself to him. That idea was completely out of the question. Her agenda was to set things right, which she had been struggling to do with everyone. Even Legolas. Now she just had to find a way to correct her unknown errors with the prince and -

Tauriel pulled up short in the hallway. The candle light down the hall faintly illuminated a figure that she did not notice until now and it startled her.

It was Legolas.

"Legolas?" She took off towards him.

Elladan rolled his eyes "_Ai Valar_," he sighed to himself as he watched Tauriel run towards the prince. "Not now…"

Legolas watched Tauriel run for him, but she slowed her pace several feet away. Her steps became calculated and she felt like she was taking a risk getting this close to him.

"Legolas, please." she was on the verge of tears and it was barely contained as she searched the haunted look upon the prince's face. She sought his blue eyes and had an unrestricted view into their sapphire expanse. He was in a tremendous amount of pain and it bothered her.

"What?" Legolas did not quite understand what she was asking this time, but his current emotions were smothering him and he just wanted to be left alone. He took a step back from her.

"Please, do not avoid me any longer."

"I am not avoiding you." he stated.

"Then why won't you talk to me?" a tear slid down her cheek but she made no move to swipe it away. She needed him to see how much his aloofness was eating at her. "Why won't *_anyone_* talk to me?!" her voice picked up in volume as her frustrations surfaced with all of its intensity. It echoed a little off the blank halls, but her focus was on the elf before her.

All Legolas could do was look at her. They were locked in a stare waiting each other out.

"Tauriel…" Legolas gulped. He could not dive into his trauma again. Besides, most of those around him already knew of it despite his desires to have it kept concealed. He did not want Tauriel to know of his complete and utter shame. "You do not need to be concerned about this."

"Stop! Stop saying that! What is 'this'? You refer to it as though it is some matter yet you brush it off like nothing happened, which is a lie! You think I am so naïve that I would not know when you are hurting?! I can see it all too clearly in your eyes!... I have *_felt_* it when I touched you! This is not something to just cover up!"

Elladan could hear Tauriel nearly shouting and he rushed over to try and intervene. He grabbed her arm, intending to break up the concentration and pull her away, but she ripped her arm away from his grasp and stood firmly in place while she pressed on.

"Please be honest with me! Did I cause this so long ago?! Have you been going through life like this? Because of me?!"

"What?... No!" Legolas could not speak. He was being accused of things that were ill fitted and could not begin to fathom where she was coming from. His anxieties started to build and with it, his breathing was becoming more labored.

"Tauriel, stop this!" Elladan called out and stepped in front of her to get between her and Legolas.

"Get away from me Elrohir!" she snarled and pushed him away to try and get a better glimpse at Legolas, but the elf merely adjusted his stance and remained between the two Wood-elves.

"Why won't you talk to me?!" She yelled. "Is it because you think I love him?!" she point to Elladan trying to show Legolas that Elrohir stood before her. "I do not! I have even told you that! I am sorry for using you Legolas and disregarded your feelings for me so long ago."

The prince shook his head to try and refuse her accusations. He was not as guarded as he had been and her words cut him far too easily and much too deeply which grated on his anxieties. The twin's identity swap was lost on him and he barked back. "We have spoken and you know you are not the cause of this!"

"Then what is it?!" she demanded. She was struggling to get around the Noldor-elf in her way, but Elladan caught her in a restraining hold.

"STOP!" Elladan shouted. "Both of you! Stop this! Heated tempers and miscommunications have already led to more damage this night and I do not care to have to look after another!"

"Let me go Elrohir!" Tauriel was trying to fight him off, but her ire crashed and turned to frustrated sobs of defeat when she could not out maneuver him. Still, Legolas would not talk to her.

"I am not Elrohir!" Elladan grit out as he struggled to hold Tauriel in such a way that he would not hurt her nor touch her inappropriately.

Tauriel ceased all movements and even her tears seemed to pause.

"What?" she breathed in shock. She did a double take of the elf restraining her and her fighting stopped.

Elladan honestly could not believe that he had broken the identity swap, but he could take it no more.

**_This is Elrohir's fault. He can get himself out of this._** Elladan thought.

"What?" Tauriel repeated. Her question was sharp now fearing what would be said next.

"Aye," Elladan confessed with a sigh. " I am not Elrohir. My brother took my name without my consent and I only learned of this a little while ago. I was merely covering for him and told him to make this right, but he has failed to do that in a timely fashion."

Outraged, Tauriel pushed against the elf and Elladan released her instantly, allowing her to recoil from him.

Her shock was transforming into a hefty dose of betrayal and her matters with the prince here now not of importance.

"Why?..." she glared angrily at the raven haired elf. "Why would you do such a thing?" She began to recall the few hours prior and she flushed deeply knowing whom she had really been speaking to and when. She was mortified and the tears that were once streaking across her face picked up, fueled by her disgust with the Noldor elf who stood before her.

"I… I know how it looks, but hear me out-" Elladan did his best to offer an explanation and put her at ease but she would have none of it. The damage was done and it would be nothing short of a small feat to reverse it. She cut him off with an insult but she did not even hear her own words. Her surroundings were a rush of hurtful rage, something she had not felt since the last time her heart was gripped with worry, then disregarded.

That was before her former king nearly seventy years ago.

"You are nothing more than a… a slithering snake!" Her mouth moved stiffly to try and keep her voice stern, but her own tone was mute to her. She did not know what she was saying.

"*_I_* am a snake?! No, that would be my brother! I wanted no part in it-"

"And yet you stood before me and answered to the name 'Elrohir'."

"Tauriel-"

"Keep your venomous words in your fangs, serpent!" she pointed sharply to elf with a ridged finger, letting the scolding gesture carry her warning.

Elladan jerked back at the insult and bitter tone, but he did not reprimand her. She had a point and he knew he was in the wrong.

It was time to go. This is not how her appology to Elrohir should have gone and it was best to …. Tauriel looked around the Noldor-elf to Legolas who was not breathing, but struggled to hold his breath to keep his emotions in check. It felt like everything was crumbling and he had no control over any matter.

"I wish you would talk to me." Tauriel's voice was a harsh whisper. "You say it is not me and yet you refuse to talk to me. How can I help but believe that that statement is false?"

Legolas' response was just a pained a Tauriel's. "Tauriel, please believe me. It is not you. It *_is_* me. I have been living a nightmare and cannot wake from it. Even now it clouds my rationality and I am half wary this will shift into another terror… that I will not see you, but someone else."

"Please _Mellon_, tell me! Let me understand!"

"No... I do not want you to know. I do not want you to ever know! I do not want *_anyone_* to know of it." A salted drop left the prince's watery eyes. "Please do not concern yourself with this. Do not get involved. Do not get wrapped up on my shame and disgrace. I wish you were not here to have even witnessed what you *_did_* seen in me. Please. If you knew..." the prince's voice faded and he dropped his gaze while shaking his head.

Elladan listened quietly, but now that the prince was on the verge of being pushed to crumble, he stepped towards his friend and laid a comforting arm across his shoulders.

"If you did, it would kill me Tauriel." the prince forced himself to say it.

It broke Tauriel's heart to see her friend in this much pain with no way to help. She found that she too was crying once more and she looked off.

Elladan pulled on the prince's shoulders and began to usher him down the hall. It was time to end this conversation. The prince already had a massive dose of stress not long ago and he did not want anything to add to it. Clearly this conversation was not helping.

Reluctantly, Legolas allowed himself to be pulled away, but he took one more look at the elf maiden over his shoulder as he was lead off.

"Tauriel, please. Do not concern yourself with this. I beg you."

Tauriel refused to look at Legolas as he retreated. A sob tore through her and she brushed her tears away with her fingers.

"Come on Legolas." Elladan encouraged the prince.

With a final look to his long time friend, Legolas left Tauriel standing in the hall.

"I'm sorry." He whispered to her.


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

* * *

"Just take it easy for a while." Elladan said. He sat the prince down in the single plush chair found by the unlit fireplace in the Noldor's rooms. It was rather dark and cold inside and the only light present was from the moon's reflection. The silvery beams bounced off of the crisp, white snow outside his windows, casting a faint glow in dark places that allowed some visibility. "I need to get some things straightened up. Do not mind the mess in here. I'll get a fire going momentarily."

He watched Legolas closely and the prince sank into the armchair. The words Elladan spoke were nearly lost on the Wood-elf and he leaned forward to bury his face in his hands. It had only been a matter of minutes since he woke up, but too much had happened in that short span of time. His mind was scattered as it raced through the events that just transpired. He hid his face while his sickening emotions washed over him and refused to leave.

Though Legolas did not speak or acknowledge the requests given to him, Elladan remained at his side for some time to offer support. He honestly didn't know what to do. Caring for his brother and friend was one thing, but matters escalated quickly when Tauriel decided to intervene. He himself played a major part in fueling Tauriel's anger and was both upset and disappointed that the she-elf had taken her frustrations out on the prince. Elladan knew he deserved Tauriel's wrath, but Legolas did not.

Legolas took a quick sigh and shook his head to himself. He was obviously deep in thought and everything was bothering him.

"Legolas?" Elladan soothed and he crouched in front of the prince. He delicately pulled the Wood-elf's hands away from his face and sought Legolas' troubled expression. "_Mellon_, please talk to me."

"This has gotten completely out of hand." Legolas whispered. He looked to his friend, but then directed his eyesight elsewhere.

"What do you mean?" Elladan asked warmly. 'This' was a very broad term and hoped to narrow things down so he could help.

Legolas leaned back in the chair and took a deep breath. He looked about the room, almost as if he just noticed where they were as he took in the layout of Elladan's rooms. This was not his first time in here, but it had been quite a while since his last visit and currently the disordered appearance vaguely masked his recognition. He forgot about the question Elladan spoke as he was distracted by this relatively new space.

The kingdom was known for its cookie-cutter construction. It was both easy to build and allowed more rooms to be created out of the palace's space. So it was no surprise that the rooms were nearly the same as the prince's. The placement of the furniture, closets, bathing chambers, living quarters and fireplace were not changed in the slightest, but the major difference in here was the size of the room. It was much larger than most of the guest rooms and this allowed for a few extra items to be placed in the space for the Noldor's personal comforts and use.

A desk was housed to the left of the fireplace and sat in front of one of the window panes to allow the elf to gaze into the gardens his balcony faced. At the other side of the hearth, a bookshelf sat and it looked almost empty. However, the fireplace beside it was crowded with stacks of books and parchments. Elladan spent little time tidying up the space and left it in the disarray so he could pick up in is studies and research at a later time. Because the elf did not feel the need to light a fire for warmth, the hearth acted as a storage facility while many unlit pillar candles were placed upon the mantle and in other spots around the room for when he needed light.

The flat surfaces of the dresser and the desk were littered with tins, phials and jars of various healing herbs and concoctions. A faint, wholesome, earthy scent subtly cloaked the room that permeated from the collection of medicinal dried grasses, leaves and flowers. To Legolas, Elladan's quarters felt softer and more alive rather than a dead stone room like his chambers.

"Legolas?" Elladan called out again to get the prince to focus. "What do you mean? Are you talking about Tauriel? If so, that matter can wait. I feel she is being rather pushy and I can talk to her if you would like."

The prince snorted at the irony of that statement. "How? She seemed rather upset with you... And why was she convinced you were Elrohir?" his look of worry turned to suspicion briefly.

Elladan took a drawn-out breath. "It seems Elrohir has gotten me in a mess and I have to clean it up." Legolas kept his eyes on the elf before him, expecting more from that statement and Elladan explained a little further. "He took my identity to try and smooth things over with Tauriel. I do not know if you are aware of what has been going on, but Elrohir has taken a deep interest in her-"

"I know." Legolas dropped his sights.

"But she did not feel the same way. Contact between them has been tense, but minimal. He figured by being me, it would give him a chance to talk with her. I know not if he is trying to spark something yet again, or if he had other hidden agendas. I told him to fix it, but it seems he did not." Elladan decided not to mention anything about the prince's knives and how Elrohir was able to confiscate them from the female Wood-elf.

The scenarios Elladan just told did not sit well with the woodland prince. He could feel his dejection deepen at hearing of Elrohir's supposed attempts to pursue Tauriel again. He knew he encouraged this not long ago, but when things did not work out, he felt a little relieved despite his wishes that the two could find joy in each other. This new revelation began to build disappointment deep within, adding to his stress.

He let out another heavy breath.

Oh, why did he care about this so much? He hated bouncing back and forth between hope and disappointment. He had been doing that a lot, and Tauriel was not the only cause of it lately.

**_Let it go… Just let it go._** he mentally encouraged himself.

He knew long ago that her heart would not belong to him.

Besides, he knew he didn't have time for this. There was too much riding on his shoulders at the moment and Tauriel should not be his main concern. He needed to focus on himself to get better. Too many people were depending on him to do so. His people needed him, and he had promised to head back home soon.

But wait… wasn't he supposed to build a ship?

How was that going to work? Ithilien was a significant distance away from the Anduin River. He was offered residency in either Minas Tirith or Osgiliath, but he could not stay here. Aragorn had said-

**_Ai, Strider!_**

Legolas' heart felt so crushed under the strain of guilt that snapped back into his awareness. He dropped his head back to his hands and pressed his thumbs into his temples. A spark of concern coursed through him as he once again realized that his hands could not register touch. He knew he was holding his face; he could feel his cold fingers on his brow, but any sensation in his hands were not felt.

"Worry not Legolas. Elrohir and I will sort it out with Tauriel." Elladan offered and paused to try and see a notable change in his reassuring statement. However, Legolas would not look at him. He could tell there was more bothering the prince than his identity swap. The Noldor-elf contemplated his next statement, then hesitantly spoke. "Would... you like for me to speak with Tauriel... on your behalf? She seems very worried-"

"No." Legolas' tone was stern with the single word.

"I think matters with her will not ease up until she gets some information. I, for one, do not want her pestering you over this; you do not need that. I know you wish to hide what has happened to you. I would not dare speak of your ordeal, but we can tell her you were at least captured and hurt. That is no different than any other 'adventure' you used to have with Estel. It will be a truth that will help settle her." The last bit was spoken with more of a questioning tone, extending his thoughts and offering some hope with a plan of action.

Legolas did not respond right away but when he did, it was with soft spoken words, begging to put an end to the subject.

"I don't know." Legolas mumbled. He did not want to talk about this right now. Aragorn was now at the forefront of his thoughts and he couldn't care any less about Tauriel.

But then again, that thought burned his heart.

He did care.

Elladan clearly heard the request to be left alone within the aggravated response the prince gave. He flashed Legolas with a sympathetic smile while he gave the Wood-elf's knee a pat of encouragement. Words were going nowhere right now and Elladan decided it was time to end the talking for a while.

Elladan stood in a fluid, effortless motion and began to set the space up. He grabbed books from the hearth and shoved them onto the shadow-cast bookcase. As he walked away to gather more items, the books fell over, creating a sloppy heap in the middle of the shelf. Elladan did not bother to straighten them. He grabbed parchments and laid them on top of the slouching texts and threw other items upon the unit in any free place he could find in order to clear the fireplace. It took him several armloads to tidy the hearth and during his final round of cleaning, he took notice of the Wood-elf.

Legolas' sights were nailed to an unseen point in the floor, staring into the dark oblivion. He was flexing his hands, curling his fingers to make a fist, then relaxing them. He did that several times, but after some moments his focus returned and he squinted slightly in the dark room to look at his hands, first palm up, then palm down before he dropped them to his lap and looked off again.

"Are you alright?" Elladan asked as he wedged a thick book into the messy shelf. Legolas' eyes abruptly focused and he looked to Elladan with a lost expression.

"Aye." It was an automatic response and he said it more out of habit than thought.

"Do not lie, Legolas..." Elladan warned but did not want to be too aggressive with his demands for the prince to speak. He turned his attentions to building a fire while watching the Wood-elf out of the corners of his eye. The sparks from a flint caught and the elf encouraged the embers to grow until a flame took hold and spread along the pile of wood. Elladan lit a few candles on the mantle to increase the amount of light and cleaned up the fire building supplies. He grabbed the wooden chair from the desk and carried it over to the living space, placing it in front of Legolas, then took a seat.

"Tell me what happened." He invited easily.

Legolas paled. He knew Elladan wanted answers, but it was hard to make sense of the confusing moment. He had already opened up not long ago and hoped that was the only time he would be requested to do so on the matter. He just wanted to bury everything, but the expectant look upon the raven-haired elf pushed him closer to talking than the spoken request did. The prince opened his mouth to speak, but he did not know where to begin. He took another rattled breath when thought could not form into words.

"Am I correct to assume you were having a dream?" Elladan slouched forward and supported his posture on his elbows while leaning on his knees.

Legolas sighed. "No." he shook his head. Elladan gave the prince a look of disbelieving aggravation and the prince looked off again. He did not want to look his friend in the eyes. He felt too vulnerable when people could see right through him and he crossed his arms over his chest to try and find some security in the way his closed off stance blocked him from sight. He knew he didn't have to hide from Elladan, for the Noldor-elf already knew how horribly used he was, but Legolas still wished to cover his shame and disgrace if he could.

Legolas could hear Elladan give off an irritated huff and the prince knew it was pointless not to speak of it. Besides, Elladan deserved to know what happened to his human brother.

"Not a dream, but a nightmare." the blond whispered.

Instantly, Elladan's expression softened. "And Estel woke you in the midst of it?"

Legolas nodded timidly.

"Did you see Estel?" Elladan asked, but realized that was a stupid question as the prince had to have seen him to aim his strike. He tried to clarify. "I mean, did you see it was Estel near you, or could you not make out who he was?"

Legolas knit his brows as he pushed through the confusion to recall what he had seen. Aragorn was nowhere near him, but his captors were.

"I saw… someone. It was dark and I do not know who it was at first. All I could see was the tunic he wore…. I thought they were here." Legolas spoke with difficulty.

"His tunic?" Elladan questioned back. He did not understand the significance of the items of clothing, but it was obvious Legolas was referring to those who had imprisoned and brutalized him.

"The Gondorian jerkin that the soldiers wear." The prince shuddered as a ghostly image of the triumphant logo of Gondor came to mind. He dropped his head again and tried to rub the anxious look away, but the movement was clumsy as his hands would not work properly without feeling.

"And that has you upset?" Elladan questioned further.

"They wore one too." Legolas explained miserably. "At times, it was the only thing I could see. Through the haze of the drugs they used on me, the stark white tree seemed to glow and cut through the fog that attacked my body and mind. That image has been seared into my brain and haunts me wherever I go." Legolas took a shallow gasp.

"You were drugged?" Elladan asked. That supplied a lot of information on the prince's captivity and how he was maintained within his captors care, or even how he was imprisoned in the first place. Much about Legolas' abduction had been kept a secret, even from Aragorn and Gimli who had found him and this was beginning to shed some much needed light on the subject. However, it only deepened Elladan's sorrow. It seemed the more they uncovered, the worse it got.

Again, Legolas replied with a nod. Gestures seemed to be easier to communicate with than words and he repeated the movements if he felt his voice was not sufficient enough to supply an answer.

Things were beginning to make more sense to the Noldor elf. "They drugged you initially? … Or kept you that way?"

"I do not know..."

"But you were given more than one dose?" Elladan needed clarification. The prince's head nodded and a realization began to blanket Elladan's mind. Being kept sedated, or even partially sedated, could easily distort one's mind, especially if the dosages were not carefully monitored. Elladan had no trouble guessing that precautions and care were not used with the prince. They were lucky that he had not been given a lethal quantity of whatever had been used on him.

And now the prince was left to try and cope with foggy memories that were distorted by nightmares. It was so obvious now why Legolas could not find peace. The abduction and maltreatment alone would be more than anyone should ever be forced to bear, but the added artificial trauma?...

Elladan shook his head to himself in disgust. He was glad those men were dealt with and were no longer able to walk this earth again.

"And the men were wearing the tunic. Each time they drugged you, it was present." Elladan summed up.

"...Not just being drugged." Legolas quietly corrected.

"Oh?"

"When they were..." the prince's voice stopped and his eyes became damp. "When I was in their custody… when they were..." Again, Legolas' words failed him and he was partially glad they did, for he did not know how he could continue. He shifted uncomfortably and subconsciously crossed a leg over his knee tightly, trying to pull in on himself while he recrossed his arms.

Elladan read the prince's posture and an understanding struck the Noldor-elf. He let out a gasp of shock, knowing what Legolas was having difficulty trying to say. "They were wearing it… the whole time, even when they were... using you."

Legolas' nod was almost undetected as he shamefully admitted to violent acts that were forced upon him.

"Oh _Mellon-nin_!" Elladan was horrified. "Oh Valar, Legolas!" the eldest twin was on the verge of tears himself and Legolas surpassed that point. A few soft drops rolled down the prince's face silently, but he was able to suppress the sobs that wanted to further rob him of his dignity. "And Estel was wearing the same tunic!" Elladan quickly finished the train of thought to solve what Legolas was speaking of.

"I did not know it was him..." Legolas croaked. He felt rotten to the core that he had been so lost in his terror that he could not even recognize his friend, one of the few around him who was intent in helping the prince recover and had always been there for him in the past. Legolas shuddered again.

"No wonder you are so distraught Legolas! Nearly all of the Gondorian folk in the palace wear that… not to mention, that symbol is on all of the flags and tapestries that are hung about." Elladan stood from the chair only to scoot it closer to the blond elf. Elladan placed his hands on the hunched shoulders of the woodland prince to try and console him. "How you have been able to keep yourself composed this long is..." Elladan sighed and shook his head. The lack of words demonstrated the massive feat better than speech could. "You must be in absolute hell surrounded by that symbol…" He finished.

Legolas' crestfallen head nodded mutely. "Yet it does not cause me to fear unless it is worn in clothing." Legolas wiped his eyes and took a deep breath that caught in his throat.

"So, if you look at a banner-"

"It is just a banner."

"Then, you see someone wearing it and sparks your memory…" The Noldor concluded and Legolas nodded again. "But it seems that is not the case all the time... there are many advisers and high ranking officers that have been in your presence as of late, especially with the holiday…. you seem to hold it together then… I know I have worn a jerkin as well and..." Elladan trailed off.

**No, that thought was incorrect. Legolas passed out nearly a week ago when they were practicing archery. When the prince came to, he had a hard time recognizing who Elladan was and weekly struggled against his friend** until he fully regained his senses. Legolas tried to strike him in a confused blur until he was able to calm down and come to. Elladan was fairly certain he was wearing a Gondorian tunic that day as the human garment had more of a relaxed fit than his formal elven clothing.

"Only at times." Legolas confessed. "There are a few occasions when I could not suppress my fears and it consumed me."

"Like a few weeks ago when you did not recognize me…" Elladan semi asked and once again the prince's head bobbed. "Elrohir said the same thing happened to him… You were having a dream and he tried to get you out of it."

"And I struck him too."

"Can you recall if he was wearing -"

"He was." Legolas swallowed hard. "I woke up and that was the only thing I saw."

"Then, it is not entirely the nightmare; it is a combination of waking from one and seeing part of it before you in reality."

Legolas easily understood the connection Elladan came to and began to agree, but then his brows worried together and he sighed when another recall let the theory down.

"Nay..."

"No?" Elladan questioned with a bit of surprise. "How so?" Elladan was determined to gather all the information he could to try and prevent this from happening again.

"A few nights ago… with Éomer and Faramir. We were in the cellars. They wanted to have a drinking game and I caught sight of Faramir's tunic and I could not think clearly… I could not see who was around me any longer."

"You struck Faramir too?"

"No… Éomer. He was closer to me… or so I assume. I did not see Éomer, yet it was he whom I had attacked for there was a bruise on his face and I cannot see how he could come to such harm by another."

"Was…. Was Éomer wearing the tunic?" Elladan asked with more curiosity than he intended. He could not reason with the notion that the Rohirrim king would be wearing a Gondorian uniform.

"No… Faramir was, as were his men. I started feeling uneasy, but honestly could not figure out why I felt thusly and ignored the warnings I sensed…. Everything gave way and I was no longer in the cellars…"

Elladan watched the distant look on the prince cloud darkly and Elladan reached out to place his hand on the prince's to offer reassurance. "Where were you?... Where did you go?"

Legolas did not speak but looked Elladan straight in the eyes. The Noldor elf could almost see the answer as if a picture was hung in front of him and he voiced his conclusion.

"You were back to the place where they imprisoned you." Elladan stated. He did not need any confirmation to know he was right.

"The cellars looked just like it…" Legolas mumbled as he dropped his sights. Elladan's forehead became creased as he tried to sort out what Legolas was speaking of.

"But you were already up and alert..." Elladan pointed out. "To go from being alright, to panic stricken, is an extreme change in a short period of time..." Elladan said softly. He sat back in the solid chair and watched Legolas. "There must have been more to tip the scales… not just the tunic… can you remember if there something else going on?... You said there was a drinking game taking place. Had you been drinking before?"

"I had been, but I believe I was coherent enough."

"Alcohol is tricksey… One can assume they have their wits about them, when in reality liquor can skew that judgment… Were you drinking heavily?"

"I… do not know… I know I had a few glasses of wine. I could feel the effects of it, but I know I was not drunk….

"A *_few_* glasses of wine?" Elladan quirked a brow. "And you have consumed next to nothing as far a food goes..." that statement offered a lot, indicating that the prince may have been intoxicated due to his lacking appetite and poor physical condition.

Legolas looked off. He felt like he was being lectured for making his poor choice.

The moment the prince looked off, Elladan backtracked. Giving the prince a sermon was not ideal, for he was far from the person who needed to be acting as the authoritative figure. Besides, he knew Legolas would not listen to what he had to say if it was going to belittle his actions. Of course the prince knew better than to drink excessively for this was not a routine occurrence. He was just acting out of the wish to find some peace and Elladan knew the prince had been desperate to find it. Instead of judge the Wood-elf, he picked up in his investigations and began to make connections out of their conversation thus far.

"Perhaps it was enough to make you woozy. You may have relaxed and it took your guard down. Then, when your memory was poked, your panic and haze toyed with your rationality - just like waking from a dream."

Legolas took in a deep breath and sighed. Elladan's theory made total sense and he was now upset that he could have had control of the situation. His choice to drink was to find an induced comfort, but it stole his ability to ward off the nightmares and he felt robbed.

"I do not know…. I just remember I tried to get away from everyone but they would not let me leave."

"Did you not see Éomer and Faramir either?" He asked.

"I did at first, but..." The prince's voice faded and he shook his head. "...Just like the cellars, it disappeared and so did the people I knew… They instantly changed… They looked like…. *_them_*... all of them…"

"And you lashed out to defend yourself." Elladan concluded. "Just like you did with me… like you did with Elrohir."

Legolas nodded while he took a ragged gulp of air. He could feel the tightening in his chest build and he began to dread what might occur. He did not want to have another panic attack in front of Elladan and he held his breath to keep the rapid shallow breaths from returning.

"It is alright, Legolas." Elladan watched the blond worriedly. "Then, what just happened with Estel is reminiscent of all the other times… you did not see Estel, but your captors and you were trying to protect yourself."

"Yes…. Though, I am still not entirely sure I did punch Estel. I saw the person fall away… but… it was not right." Legolas said. He began to run his thumb across the pads of his fingertips, testing for feeling that would not generate and he looked down with more disappointment when he found no improvement from several moments ago. Elladan watched the prince's movements and again, saw the prince worrying with his hands and he frowned.

"What are you doing?" he nudged his nose towards the prince, directing the attention to the Wood-elf's motions.

Legolas went very still and halted his breathing. He knew the worry and fuss over him would only deepen if he told of the numbness found in his hands, but at the same time, the lack of feeling unsettled him. His eyes were locked on his hands and he clenched his jaw.

"Legolas..." Elladan said again, using the prince's very name as if it were a warning or a demand to give up the information and not stall.

With a quaking intake of air, the prince gave in. It was not worth the fight to remain impassive right now. He had already broken down and knew the stubborn charade would not hide anything.

"I cannot feel." the elf's voice was no more than a defeated breath of air, but Elladan heard it regardless. Elladan's soft expression turned to alarm and he pulled back as he tried to make sense out of what he heard.

"What do you mean?" the words were spoken quickly and were no longer full of warmth and care. They were replaced by shock and a tinge of fear. Legolas knew the elf was an expert healer so when Elladan sounded apprehensive, Legolas began to follow suit. Somehow he had hoped this was normal, or there should be a logical explanation for this, but Elladan's reaction set the record straight.

"I-I cannot feel anything in my hands." Truth and fear were clearly heard in Legolas' tone that mimicked the same inflection Elladan just used. Legolas flexed his fingers again, trying to give the Noldor-elf a visual of what he was speaking of.

"Nothing at all?!" Elladan's expression was complete confusion and that did not help the worry in the prince.

"No!" Legolas' single word was uncertain. His breathing quickened and his fear was beginning to build, causing him to tremble lightly.

Elladan left his chair and knelt on the floor in front of the prince and Legolas watched his every move intently. The Noldor's silver eyes caught sight of the sapphire, panic-stricken ones and the raven haired elf sobered a little after realizing his fear was only making matters worse.

"Breathe _Mellon-nin._" Elladan encouraged. He could see all the signs of an oncoming panic attack and he sat there quietly while the Wood-elf did all he could to control his wavering intake of air. "Just calm down and breathe. We will figure this out."

After a few moments to allow the prince to compose himself, Elladan reached out to gather the Wood-elf's hands in his own. His troubled look only deepened. "Your hands are cold, Legolas..." he said as he began to evaluate the prince's condition. He brushed the back of his fingers to Legolas' cheek and forehead, noting the cool sensation rolling off of the prince.

"_Mellon_, are you not cold?" he asked while he did his best to hide the sharpness in his concern. Legolas nodded. "Why did you not say anything?" he chided his friend and stood to find some means of warmth he could offer the prince. He crossed his rooms and opened the closet where a throw was kept folded on a shelf and he pulled it out.

"I'm always cold." the prince mumbled.

Elladan knew that remark to be true, but did not comment. He draped the blanket over the blond's shoulders and resumed his kneeling position. Again, he gathered the prince's hands in his own, covering them as best he could try and offer added warmth.

"Can you feel this?" he asked and looked into the lost expression of his friend as the heat from his hands was transferred to Legolas. The prince shook his head.

Elladan began an examination. He pulled the prince's hands closer to himself and looked them over in the dim light from the fireplace.

"I do not see anything wrong..." he said out loud. "No wounds or rash… nor swelling or bruising..." The healer pinched Legolas' index fingertip and looked back to his friend to see if his expression changed. "Did you feel that?" he asked.

"No… uuh - well, I mean, I dimly felt pressure when you did that, but not much."

"How about this?" the Noldor-elf moved up to the knuckle, kneading the finger between his own hoping to generate a different response.

"No. Just pressure."

"When you say pressure, what do you mean?... can you feel it in your skin - your muscles?"

"Deep down, I can feel it."

"So in your bones?"

"I think so… I do not know how to describe it."

"What about this?" Elladan lightly stroked Legolas' fingers that would only generate sensation with the surface of his digits.

Legolas watched as Elladan touched him and he sighed as he shook his head. "No."

"How about in your hand?... Can you feel this?" He began to massage Legolas' palm rather hard, but the elf-prince denied it.

"Nay… no difference..."

"But you can feel pressure, correct?"

"A little."

Out of desperation, Elladan sank his short nails into the soft flesh, hoping that the sharpness would at least provoke a cry of pain, but Legolas remained as he had and made no sound.

"Legolas, tell me when you do feel something different, alright?" Elladan began to pinch up the elf's hand until he came to wrist joint and Legolas stopped him.

"I can feel that."

"How so?"

"It feels… normal." Legolas simply said out of lack for a better term.

"So it is your hands, not your whole arm?" the Noldor firmly griped the forearm and then Legolas' bicep, each time producing and affirmation of feeling from the Wood-elf. Elladan sat back on his heels, perplexed. Legolas knew there was something greatly amiss and the fact that the skilled healer before him was baffled left a void of uncertainty deep within.

"What is wrong with me?" Legolas' desperate voice was back to a whisper, fearing what the Noldor-elf would reply with.

"I…." Elladan took a deep breath. He was partially stumped, but dreaded what it really could be. The prince had been showing signs of fading weeks ago, but it had not progressed beyond lack of appetite and being cold, all of which could have been attributed to stress and depression. This new symptom did not make sense, but still he did not want to jump to a distasteful conclusion. "I do not know..." He resumed holding the cold trembling hands to try and force his mind to come up with a different diagnosis, but he was left more questions than answers.

"How long has this been going on?" Elladan asked as he began to rub the hands in a circular motion to try and get the blood flowing, letting the friction produce some much needed additional warmth.

"Only moments ago, when I woke up."

"You mean, just now?" Elladan stopped his ministrations as his surprise made him stiff with disbelief. This was a sudden change in condition and it was alarming that it had not been felt prior to this.

Legolas did not like the combination of question and the intensity in Elladan's voice and he began to pull his hands back to sever the awkward connection.

"Yes. Just a few moments ago."

Elladan's eyes narrowed as if he did not believe the prince. "Legolas, I need you to be truthful with me." He said evenly. Legolas was notorious for hiding the truth and this ran parallel to those times.

"I am being truthful!" the Wood-elf protested.

"Alright, okay! Peace… I am only making sure _Mellon…" _Elladan gave the prince a small smirk before he turned back to his pondering. "It is not that I do not believe you… but belief is hard to come by when I know of your stubborn habits."

Legolas dropped his sights after the very accurate comment.

"Perhaps your hands are just asleep?" Elladan offered his next theory. "You were not on proper bedding while you slept..." But even as he said the words, they felt wrong to assume that. The prince had proven on numerous occasions that he could sleep almost anywhere without issues. When the wilds he roamed with the Aragorn, the other Dunedain and the twins did not produce a soft mattress, the prince took to sleeping in trees or on the hard ground just as any of the others had. Legolas had no difficulties sleeping in those conditions, and his bedding in the Hall of Fire was far more favorable than what was used when traveling.

"Here... make a fist then relax." Elladan instructed and Legolas did as told. "How does that feel? Do you feel any tingling in your fingers?"

"No. It feels… like... nothing."

Elladan pursed his lips in slight disappointment. "If your hands were just asleep I think you would have gained feeling back by now as it has been a while since you were up and you have been moving... Your hands are starting to warm up… though I think more heat will help." Elladan stood and began to walk off. "Sit here. I'll see what I can do."

Elladan marched away to the bookshelf and dug around through the clutter to try and locate some unknown item. The elf managed to pull out a collapsible metal tripod of sorts and went to the fire to set it up over the blistering heat. He made his way to the desk and crouched to the floor where he reached under the table and pulled out a small black cauldron that was hidden by the shadows and the legs of the desk. He carried the cast iron pot off to the bathing chambers and Legolas lost sight of him. All that could be heard was the sound of running water and the splash of liquid as it was caught in the metal basin.

After some moments, Elladan returned to the rooms and hung the pot over the flames to let the water heat up.

"Answer me this..." Elladan said and he crouched to the floor by the Wood-elf's feet. "Do you have numbness anywhere else? For instance, in your toes or legs?" Elladan did not wait for an answer and he pressed his thumb into the toe of the prince's boot. "Can you feel that?"

"Yes." Legolas pulled his foot back and partially tucked it under the chair he occupied.

"Well, this is most bizarre..." Elladan remarked. "It is odd that you do not have feeling in your hands, yet your feet are fine… It could be that you have boots on and they have protected you from the cold…. but I'm not all that positive that the temperatures would cause this." Elladan nearly huffed as he took a solid seat on the floor and looked up into Legolas' eyes, transferring his sights between each of the identical blue spheres that watched him back with fierce worry. His mind was scrambling for other alternatives and he ran through all the information once more, trying to piece the logic together differently.

"It almost sounds like nerve damage..." Elladan said softly to try and keep the uneasiness in his companion to a minimal. "Do you feel any pain anywhere?" He asked and Legolas responded to the negative.

"Alright… then, turn your head sharply to the right." Elladan ordered and Legolas turned his head toward the wall. "Do you feel any discomfort, or any tingling or… well anything out of the ordinary in your shoulders or back?"

"No."

"To the left then..."

Legolas craned his head to the window and looked out at the stars and the small patch of the outside world that was covered in snow.

"Anything?" Elladan asked.

"Nay."

"Ok, then roll your head down… tuck your chin to your chest… do you feel anything then?" he watched as his friend's head nodded forward and a curtain of loose blond hair fell forward, shielding his face from sight.

"No."

"Now look up."

Legolas' chin tipped toward the ceiling and he took a breath in the process. "Nothing." the prince murmured.

Elladan let out a discouraged sigh. "Hhum..."

The fire began to hiss as the water from the pot began to boil over and splashed over the hot coals. Elladan jumped to the furnace and used the fire poker to remove the cauldron. He set it on the hearth then went to the bathing room to grab a washing cloth, which he dipped in the boiling liquid. He was mindful to keep a corner of the plush square out of the water, giving him a safe way to handle the cloth without burning himself. The Noldor-elf pulled the cloth from the steamy vat and delicately pinched the corner while the water began to drain from the cloth, dribbling back into the pot. After some time passed to allow the heated square to cool to the point where it could be handled, he wrung it out and made his way over to the prince.

"Here; Wrap your hands in this. The heat might help."

Legolas took the warm cloth and ineptly tangled his fingers in it. Elladan stood towering over the elf and watched for any sign that a change was taking place, but nothing happened.

"Though I doubt it, you may have a dislocated joint..." Elladan said. Legolas looked up to Elladan.

"I think I would know if something was dislocated." the prince responded lightly. He knew that Elladan was just trying to rule out other possibilities with his condition, but that did not seem likely.

"I would too, but..." Elladan shrugged his shoulders, letting that speak for itself. "You may have pulled something while you were trying to get away from Estel. Lean forward. Let me see if I can find anything wrong."

Legolas repositioned himself in the chair and got comfortable. Elladan pulled the throw off of the prince's shoulders, then pulled the long blond hair away from his neck. He began to press upon the knobby peaks that created the Wood-elf's spine, starting at the base of his skull and slowly moving down over the linen sleeping shirt. His skilled fingers diligently felt for anything out of the norm. However, the only thing that did not feel right, was the fact that he had little trouble feeling the bones and joints. In a way it was a small relief that he could feel with ease, able to thoroughly check the prince for any injury, but the starved prince was another issue in itself.

Elladan checked the shoulder blades and joints, and continued down the elf's back, taking his time to make sure he did not miss anything.

Legolas sat quietly and let the healer have his way, but slowly the unease was beginning to return. He took a deep breath to try and push it away, but it did little to help. The hands on him were traveling lower and lower and he used as much control as he could to remain impassive. Elladan came to the small of his back and continued on, but the prince sat up and pulled away from the eldest twin a little abruptly to cease the contact.

"Enough! - I'm done - I am fine." Legolas tried to say all at once and Elladan pulled back quickly. The prince felt a pinch of disgust in his core that he could not hold it together when the elf before him was a close friend and was only doing everything in his power to try and help. He looked off toward the windows, just now noticing that he was panting and his heartbeat had sped up, causing him to feel shaky and unstable. The prince kept his sights to the outside world and would not look at Elladan. He felt filthy and horribly ashamed.

Elladan looked to Legolas sadly as he realized what had just happened. It honestly did not occur to the Noldor healer that the contact would make the prince uncomfortable. The easy trust in the Wood-elf had been compromised due to his corruption and Elladan told himself he needed to put more thought into his actions and proceed a little more delicately next time.

"I am sorry Legolas. I didn't think that…" Elladan halted his explanation inelegantly. He did not want to bring up anything that would cause the prince to become upset. Rather than finish his thought, he simply ended it. "I am sorry." he added for good measure. He reached out to place a hand on Legolas' shoulder, but hovered his hand only a few inches from the prince, unsure if he should touch his friend. Hesitantly, he withdrew and dropped his hand to his side.

"It is not you." Legolas said gloomily as he worked to keep his composure. His panic wanted to run wild and his tears wanted to be free, but he was determined not to let that happen. He dropped his sights to the floor before him but realized he still held the wet cloth and was fiercely gripping it. He pulled the washing cloth from his hands and tossed it carelessly onto the stone hearth several paces away before he dropped his head to his now damp hands and concentrated on breathing.

Elladan could see the tense way Legolas sat and wished to help. An idea came to mind and he acted upon it. Without a sound, he made his way back to the hearth and placed the pot over the flames once more. He went about his rooms to his collection of herbs and picked a few bottles from the vast assortment before returning to his chair. Along the way back to his perch, he grabbed a mortar and pestle and took a seat.

The healer went to work making a healing concoction of sorts and he measured out a pinch of this, and a palm full of that, adding it to the grinding blow and working the mixture into a finely ground powder. He grabbed another bottle of what looked like tiny white crystals and bobbled the container until a few specks fell into the bowl. The pestle crunched the granules until it was easier to grind and Elladan worked the mixture in the bowl until it was well blended.

He took a quick glance at the woodland prince to check on him and did a double take when he noted Legolas was watching him work. He gave an encouraging smile to the prince and went back to his task.

The scraping of the stone and pottery created a rough melody as the dried herbs were smashed into dust. The prince listened to the churning crunch and let his mind go where it wanted. Sitting in the healer's rooms as Elladan tended to him brought back a different kind of memory and the Wood-elf began to recall being in Rivendell and watching the healing elves do what they did best. Elrond taught his sons everything he had known and watching the peredhil elf's son work as he was now, brought forth a pleasant mix of memories from an easier time.

He wished he could go back to those days where it felt like life was simpler. He could remember what joy was and wanted to be able to obtain that easy going feeling. Just to be able to sit down in a quiet setting, whether with friends or alone and not have your mind wonder off to dark places was something he didn't even know could be taken for granted, but how wished he could go back and appreciate feeling whole again.

He took a silent deep breath, longing to be back in the elven halls of the Last Homely House. To be welcomed there by friends and extended family… To not have to hide from Elladan, Elrohir or Aragorn…

Aragorn.

Going back to those days felt impossible.

Legolas became startled as he felt his own tongue move to speak without much thought.

"Will Aragorn be alright?" the prince whispered.

Elladan's head came up and he regarded the prince, but kept up with the mixture he was creating. His heart ached for his friend and it was a bit unsettling the way Legolas' mind was darting between all of the heavy topics at hand. First Tauriel, then Aragorn, then his captivity and his health, then back to Aragorn. The blond could not escape his troubling thoughts.

"Estel has a very thick head." Elladan said easily to lay any fears to rest. "It will take more than that to do any damage, fear not."

"I knocked him out, Elladan." the prince's tone was tense, reminding the Noldor-elf of his destructive actions.

"Aye, you did. But I guarantee that he will be bounding through the doors at any moment as if nothing happened, claiming that he is alright…" Elladan stopped grinding the herbs and taped the tamper several times against the side of the bowl to knock the fine coating of the dust from the instrument. He reached for a tin he had close by and opened the lid to pull out two long, flat leaves that he ripped into tiny pieces and sprinkled them in the mixture. "You know, a lot of your habits rubbed off on him over the years… Had I never met you, I would claim Estel to be the most obstinate person."

"Then how do you claim I affected Strider? Perhaps he is the one who changed me over the years." Legolas said in a conversational tone. He was still upset but was starting to feel a little comforted by Elladan's reassurance that the man would be fine.

"Ah, well, there is a point indeed." Elladan began to stir the mixture with the back of the grinder to mix everything without pulverizing it. "I guess this would be an age old question similar to 'which came first, the chicken or the egg'... Who changed whom?"

The unassuming question lingered as a light remark between the two elves and Legolas watched the healer tediously mix the contents in the bowl.

"What are you doing?" he asked with no real interest trying to keep up with the easy talking.

"I am going to make something to help you calm down and relax."

"I am fine. I just need some space." Legolas' could not help the disappointment that seeped back into his voice.

"And the age old question is starting to be answered…" Elladan raised his brows with a playful smile after the well known comment was made and prince began denying he needed help. "You have had plenty of space as of late. You cannot keep running and secluding yourself from everyone. It has proven not to help. I'm going to make this so you can relax and let some of the tension from your body. That could be the cause of the numbness in your hands… or a factor."

"I… I do not want to take anything, Elladan."

"I know how picky you are when it comes to taking medications. Fear not, this is not medicine nor will this knock you out. It is a therapeutic mixture that will help you to relax, but will not drug you."

Legolas said no more on the matter. He honestly did not feel like arguing and gave up. He turned to look out the window while the mixture Elladan was working on never rested. The healer kept adding ingredients and stirred it repeatedly.

Elladan consumed himself in his work. When the water began to boil again, he got up and repositioned the pot, pulling it off of the direct heat and allowing the water to simmer. He dumped the herbal dust into the water, then moved off to grab a few bottles of oils and a large wooden spoon. His return to the pot was fast and he added more ingredients to the cauldron. After a quick stir to thoroughly combine the mixture, he grabbed the discarded cloth that was once wrapped around the prince's hands and placed it in the pot.

Elladan let the cloth bathe in the water for a time while he gave a few lazy stirs with the paddle. He bent close to the fire, taking in a draught of the air to test it by scent before he reached for a bottle of oil he had already added. After placing a small dribble in the kettle, he gave it another stir, followed by a whiff of air to make sure he had the mixture just right. He did some more minor tweaking with the additives, but once he was satisfied with his creation, he fished the cloth out of the pot with the spoon and allowed it to cool once more before he handled it.

A majority of the water was wrung out then he folded the cloth into quarters. He walked back to the dejected prince and stood within his sight line, blocking his view of the outside world.

"Here, Legolas. This will help you relax. I used a combination of soothing herbs in this. It might take a while for it to work, but this should help you." Elladan partially explained as he presented the folded wet cloth before Legolas' eyes for him to get a glimpse of the implied therapeutic regimen. The prince gave it a casual glance but looked less than thrilled with having to take something and Elladan was not about to let the prince have any leeway to protest with the healing technique.

The Noldor elf seemed to glide in his movements as he softly held the cloth to the Woodland-prince's mouth and nose, allowing the steamy vapors to be inhaled so they could go to work to.

It was a mindless action that the healer had performed as part of a routine probably thousands of times with his craft. It was not something he would have ever thought to cause fear within another. However, the second the cloth made contact with the prince's face, the sad worried looked the prince wore snapped to terror. The blue eyes went wide and the pupil squinted as his fear took over. Legolas turned his head quickly to dodge the cloth while simultaneously kicking himself back to get away. The chair he was sitting in screeched across the stone floor as the legs were scraped along the rough surface with the sharp sound.

Legolas bolted to his feet and rounded the chair to try and put the object between himself and his captor….

No, not captor…

It was only Elladan.

The prince darted his sights about the room as though he could not see where he was. His mind and memory was a confusing jumble, but slowly the adrenaline was draining and he could see once more where he was.

He was safe.

His breath was coming in ragged gulps and his knees felt like they were going to give out. He could hear a faint buzz of a soothing sound and Legolas looked about to try and find out what it was.

Elladan had not moved from his position and stood where he was. His hands were up to try and show he meant only peace and did not give any chase to the distraught elf. Startled shock was clearly etched into his face, but he did not let that stop him from trying to reason with his friend.

The buzz Legolas noted became clear as the repetitive words Elladan spoke flooded into his ears.

"Halt Legolas. All is well. Please just stop. No harm will befall you I promise. It is only I. No one else is here. Please Legolas, look at me. Recognize me… Hear my voice and know you are safe, please Legolas."

The prince locked his horrified sights on the elf at the other side of the room, letting the haze float away to realize who was before him. He covered his mouth with a quaking hand to try and oppress his shock. Sick worry suddenly attacked him that he may have caused more damage to another friend.

Elladan watched the prince, unsure what to do. He wanted nothing more than to rush forward and give aid, but Legolas was a skittish wreck. He remained where he was and moved very little.

"Do you see me?" Elladan asked softly, almost scared that the prince could not distinguish who he was.

"Why does this keep happening?" the elf weakly asked, but he did not allow any time for a response as his uncertainty and fear caved in and exploded in a fit of rage. In an instant, he forced all the air from his lungs in a guttural snarl that reverberated in the stone quarters as his body curled over tensely to try and pull in on himself. The yell dissipated, as did his anger, and he took a deep breath that choked on an oncoming sob. He dropped his head to his hands and began to weep.

The elf suddenly felt a calming presence encircle him. Elladan boldly came forward and wrapped his arms around the shuddering prince, taking his chances with his safety to see to his friend.

"I am losing my mind." Legolas sniveled. "I am absolutely losing my mind!"

"_Shhhhh_." Elladan soothed. He still was not entirely sure what had just happened, but it all fell in line with what they were discussing and it was disturbing to see it in action.

"I am so sorry." Legolas breathed as he battled his uncontrollable air intake. He was on the verge of losing his ability to breathe and could feel the dreaded fear building up that further attacked his rationality and airways.

"Come sit down before you fall down." Elladan encouraged easily and pulled the hyperventilating prince back before the fireplace so he could take a seat once more. Elladan pulled the plush chair forward to its previous location and pressed the prince back into the chair. He found the discarded cloth and rushed it over to the pot where he did a quick dip to reheat it, then prepped it in the same manner as before.

"Legolas, you need to breathe. I know you just panicked, but you need to fight your fears. I will not hurt you. You know this." Elladan pulled his wooden chair up to the prince's seat and sat quickly so he was not towering over the wood-elf. He held his hand out, offering the prince the herb soaked cloth.

"No. I-I do not w-want it!" the prince girt out as he tried to gain control of his breathing on his own. The implied method of healing was attacking his mind once again, but it did not take him by surprise as the first time had. He managed to remain in his rational world but shook his head vehemently to the Noldor-elf while his eyes gave away his terror.

**_Memories._** Elladan assumed. He did his best to offer better logic.

"Watch me…" Elladan forced softly. He waited until the prince lifted his sights and Elladan placed the cloth over his own face. "Look... " Elladan's voice became muffled slightly as he spoke through the plush damp rag and took a long draught of air through the cloth. He was proving that the offering was not a drug of any sort and no harm would come to prince. "It is not a toxin, but a mixture that will smell pleasant. I swear it. Here, try it." he pulled the cloth away and pressed it into the prince's hands.

Legolas could only stare at the cloth and could not bring himself to do as instructed. He began to hold his breath in dreaded anticipation as Elladan moved slowly and gripped his wrist.

"Just try it Legolas." Elladan said as he cautiously moved the prince's hand to rest just before his mouth and nose. The blue eyes disappeared as the prince closed them tightly and his whole body was tense. "Breathe…."

But the prince would not.

Legolas knew his friend would not drug him, but the combination of fear and the several bouts of intense flashbacks kept him reluctant. Elladan pulled himself close to the prince so that their foreheads were almost touching and he whispered calmly to encourage the elf-prince to do as told. Elladan kept taking loud deep breaths as an example, further showcasing that he was not put to sleep nor under the influence of any sedative.

Both elves were locked in a calm battle of wills, but it was Legolas who broke first. He wanted to trust his friend and try to put everything behind him. He took a small, diffident smell of the rag, fully expecting the acrid aroma of pungent poison to enter his lungs and burn his throat.

The sweet floral notes of lavender and the fresh clean scent of athelas predominantly took over his senses. The warm vapor touched his nostrils and the prince let his breath out only to take in another puff of air, this time deeper. The calming aromatic mixtures went straight for his core of distress and it was as though a gnarled rope had been severed and the tension began to dissipate. The prince let out a sigh of relief and relaxation, but continued to breathe the herbal mixture. Each draw of air felt lighter and it was becoming easier to breathe with each intake.

Legolas slumped back into the chair and closed his eyes as he continued to savor the wafting fragrances of calm tranquility. He could almost feel the stress roll off of him and he let it leave without any hindrance.

A soft chuckle made the prince open his eyes to find Elladan crouching in front of him with an 'I-told-you-so' flicker in his eyes and an easy smile across his face.

"What is in this?" the prince said lazily as he let out another sigh. Clearly the mixture was adequately doing its job.

"I believe the question should be rephrased to 'what has been left out?'..." Elladan chortled but moved on to explain. "That is a delicate balance of stress relievers that also possess anti-anxiety qualities. _Ada_ used to give it to Elrohir and myself when we had difficulties dealing with _Nana's_ departure so long ago. I am glad it is working on you as it did my brother and myself." Elladan said kindly.

Legolas just closed his eyes and took a slow breath, using his elven senses to try and decode what specific scents were present aside from the distinctive properties of the lavender and athelas. He could detect a few added items, but honestly didn't put much thought into picking the fragrance apart.

"Here; allow me to re-wet it for you now that you know you can enjoy it without reason to fear." Elladan said and reached for the cloth which Legolas handed over. The raven haired elf left his chair and moved off to reapply the mixture.

Legolas settled about the chair to get more comfortable. He rested heavily in the seat and let the back of the chair support the weight of his head with the soft, yet firm covering of the furniture's backing. His eyes drifted to the Noldor twin who stood in front of the fire. Elladan had been so kind to him this evening and it was far more than he deserved after he had assaulted Elladan's adoptive brother and nearly mistook the elf for another terror. He opened his mouth to try and give his thanks, but a quick rapture of knuckles tapped on the door of Elladan's rooms, cutting the prince off before he could even make a sound. The door opened without any command to let the person enter.

Elladan looked quickly to his door and found that his twin was entering. Elrohir stepped through the threshold and he peeped about the space, taking note of who was inside. He gave a quick nod to his brother in a partial greeting before he moved aside from the door's opening as if to make room for another. He ducked his head back to the hallway to look for someone else.

"I found them Estel… they are in here."


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

* * *

Elrohir reached out and gripped Aragorn's forearm to help guide him into the private chamber.

"Come, Estel. They are in here. Elladan has more supplies than I and he should have something to help with the ache. We will see if they can tell us what happened as well."

Aragorn blankly allowed his brother to guide him into the room and stepped past the threshold with a soft tread. The impact from each step jolted his throbbing head and he walked tenderly to keep the pain down. He raised a hand to hold his temple lightly and came to stand still beside Elrohir. He could hear his brother talking to him, but didn't really connect to what he was saying and only followed the lead in front of him. He was confused about everything and still could not quite piece together what had happened, nor could Elrohir shed some light on the subject.

From the moment he had woken, something did not sit well with the man. Aragorn could not distinguish the unexplainable need to get up and moving, but he listened to that small voice that kept telling him something was amiss.

His brother was adamant that he stay seated for he had received a vicious knock on the head, but how it happened was lost on the man and he had a hard time recalling the past few hours. It seemed like one moment he was walking back through the doors of the palace after a long day of tracking down a carpenter, then the next, he awoke upon the thin rug in the hall of fire. Elrohir had explained that much time had passed since entering the palace and waking up, but he honestly could not remember a single moment of it and he was slightly unnerved that he could not recollect that gap in recent time.

He did as his brother told him and initially remained stationary as the young twin tended to his head, but in the end, the man deemed himself capable of walking and dismissed the decision to stay put. He left the hall with his elven brother at his side and no clear direction of what to do or where to go. He just ambled where his legs would carry him, careful of the thumping pain that was slowly getting stronger.

It was at Elrohir's suggestion that they decided to check in with Elladan to see he could be of any help to retell what had happened. The duo walked at Aragorn's slow pace to begin their searching at the eldest twin's rooms.

The light from the fireplace seemed awful bright to the man and he squinted his eyes to try and take a glance about. He could vaguely make out a form in front of the hearth and another was in the chair slightly off to the side. He only looked at the people without trying to make sense of who they were. The pounding in his head began to increase and he gave a small wince while looking to the floor to try and put a stop to the pain.

Legolas watched as the dazed man cautiously stepped forward and the elf felt his heart go heavy with guilt. Seeing Aragorn up and about gave him little to be happy about and he sadly looked on while Aragorn tried to make out what was going on. Elrohir put the concussion kit to good use and there was a white mesh fabric swaddling his head in a solid thick band. The right side of the bandage was stained a pea green color as the knot on Aragorn's scalp was smothered with some sort of medicinal paste and the healing agent began to saturate the gauze. The man's wavy dark locks frayed out of the edges of the bandages, further skewing a picture of perfect health and made the man look more tattered and worse for wear.

The prince looked to Elladan to try and gauge his reaction, hoping the healer could assure him that the man was, in fact, alright. However, he was surprised to see the eldest twin making his way quickly towards himself with alarm written all over the Noldor's face.

Elladan dashed over to Legolas and placed his hand over the prince's eyes.

"Halt Estel!" Elladan shouted as he continued to position himself in front of the prince, using his body to further block out the sight of Aragorn. Legolas pulled back to keep his eyes clear, but he looked to Elladan with confused annoyance when he couldn't see past him.

"Estel. You need to take your tunic off." Elladan commanded. He put the wood-elf to his back so he was able to speak with his brothers, all the while checking over his shoulder that the prince was alright and could not see around him.

"My tunic?" Aragorn glanced down at his chest, perplexed with the remark.

"Why?" Elrohir asked. He had a look of puzzlement upon his face at the odd request as well.

"It seems to trigger a defense response in Legolas. If you are to remain in here I must insist you take it off." Elladan said.

"Elladan..." Legolas called out and leaned forward to try and push the Noldor-elf away so he could either see everyone or get the elf's attention. "That is not necessary."

"No?" Elladan dubiously asked and he turned to face the prince, giving the blond elf a serious stare. "I will not risk it Legolas. I will not risk your sanity at the moment nor would I want to risk any more harm to befall Estel."

Legolas dropped his face with a huff at the comment. Elladan was cautious around him to insure the man's safety and Elladan was right to do so. The prince knew he was now considered a danger and his self disgust deepened.

"I can leave." Legolas offered quietly. "Aragorn needs your help and I would that you helped him." He prepared to stand, but Elladan placed hand on his shoulder to halt his movement.

The Noldor elf saw the look of remorse that shaded the prince's face and he spoke softly to him. Elladan knew the others could hear what he had to say, but he tried his best to keep the conversation between himself and Legolas.

"I am not trying to make you feel guilty over this and I am not accusing you, but I want to take all precautions for a while until everything settles. I will not make you leave. You need to stay. If anyone is to leave we can send Estel elsewhere if you think it would help." But right after he said that he turned to look at both of his brothers with a scrutinizing eye, forgetting about the prince for the moment. "Though I do not think Estel should be here regardless. Why is he up and about? Should he not be sitting down?" he directed his question to his twin who simply shrugged.

"Estel wanted to leave the hall and would not be deterred. I-" Elrohir was cut off by his brother's displeasure.

"He should not be up." Elladan's tone edged judgment and Elrohir crossed his arms in opposition.

"It is not like I am having him run around the entire palace, *_Elladan_*." The younger twin curtly replied. "Besides, what was I to do; hold him hostage in a place he did not want to be? I was trying to take him to a place where he could be more comfortable, but realized *_you_* possess stronger pain killers than I currently have in my cache. We came here for help as well as answers." Elrohir shot Elladan a dark look before his expression softened and he looked to Aragorn to check on him.

Elrohir's twin was being incredibly difficult, not to mention bossy and a flare of aggravated defense surged in the younger twin's core. He was thoroughly irritated with his brother's mood and the fact that he was getting the brunt end of the sourness nearly all evening instantly put him on guard. He looked back to his elven brother to further defend his actions.

"Just because he is concussed does not mean he has to stay put. So long as he is careful and takes it easy, *_which_* he is doing, his actions are not causing him any harm and he certainly can move about to relocate." Elrohir nearly snapped back. "I was going to take him to his rooms, but I do not think that to be a wise choice."

"How so?" Elladan asked flatly.

"Estel does in fact have a concussion. Should he go to his rooms where it is quiet, he is bound to fall asleep and he needs to be up for a few hours, or at least until the danger passes and I will not have Arwen look after him. Eldarion is already a handful and she cannot be torn between the two at the moment."

"He needs to be awake… not *_up_*."

"You think I do not know that?" Elrohir argued back. "You are not the only expert healer here, Elladan! I do not need-"

"Stop. Both of you." Aragorn said calmly and held a hand out to each of his bickering brothers to try and signal for silence rather than speak it.

Each twin huffed while glaring at each other before begrudgingly looking to their human brother.

"I know not what it is you are really arguing over, but enough is enough. I will be alright." Aragorn said easily and let out a sigh.

Silence settled over the room but it only lasted a few moments until Elrohir moved forward closer to Aragorn and began to help him move about once more.

"Take a seat Estel." Elrohir placed a gentle hand on the man's back to encourage him to take the offer. "Take a seat before Elladan makes you." He added the barb effortlessly and calmly, letting the statement slip past the man, but allowing his twin to hear it regardless.

Elladan did not say a word but scowled to his twin as Aragorn was helped to move.

"Estel." Elladan called out. "Your tunic… please." He requested once more. Without further questions, the man began to unclasp the dark garment and peeled it away from his burgundy undershirt. He balled the jerkin up and lazily tossed it under the foyer's small table to keep it out of the way.

"Thank you." Elladan said. He moved away from the prince who had been silent the entire time, finally allowing Legolas to see his friend. The prince needed to see with his own eyes that Aragorn was, for the most part, fine and hoped that by seeing the man awake would lay some fears to rest.

Aragorn was encouraged to step further into the rooms as Elrohir guided him by the fire to take a seat. Instantly, Legolas rose from his soft chair to give it up to the man. The prince stepped to the side while holding his hand out to present the empty chair for Aragorn to take. When the man plopped down in the rest with a groan, the blond elf backed off to get out the way. He did not need to hinder anyone and wanted to let the healers have easy access to the king.

Aragorn did not say much and just made for the indicated chair. Elrohir fussed over the man and tended to him to get him comfortable. The throw that the prince had was left in the chair as a bundled heap and the twin wadded it up tightly to create a pillow. He pressed it to the back of the man's skull, propping Aragorn's head comfortably and allowing him to recline. Elrohir checked the bandages about his scalp and tenderly felt the knot to evaluate the progress of the healing paste.

"Estel… look at me." Elrohir stated and the man did as was requested of him. The elf surveyed the man's grey eyes that held a glossy sheen to them. Elrohir gauged the dilation of the pupils that indicated the severity of Aragorn's head injury and he found no change from the last time he had checked the man's state. "You are going to have to stay up for a you start to feel tired, you need to let us know so we can keep you up. Do not fall asleep."

"I know, I know." Aragorn sighed.

"Elladan?" the twin looked about to locate his other brother who was busy moving about to gather more herbs from his collection that was housed in his rooms. He stood by the dresser and shuffled through the jars and tins.

"Yes?"

"Do you have any devil's claw to help fight the pain?"

"I am already looking for it. I know I have the leaf from it, but I am not so sure I have any root left. I may have to go to the healing wing to get that… Oh… wait…." Elladan found a small wooden box no bigger than his hand. He removed the lid and brought it close to his nose to take a smell in order to identify what the contents were. He instantly made a disgusted face as the unpleasant odor from the root was inhaled and he coughed a few times to fully remove the fumes from his system. He placed the lid back on the box and set it aside. "I found some."

"I do not want any devil's claw." Aragorn murmured. He knew the bitter taste of the powerful herb and the harsh smell that emanated from the gnarled and twisted black root. The very thought of consuming it made his head hurt in anticipation.

"Well, Estel, it is not up for debate." Elrohir stated.

"'Ro, how is the swelling?" Elladan asked as he began looking for something else.

"It is a rather large lump that has not improved much." Elrohir said and placed his hand yet again on the side of the man's head, tenderly prodding the bulge. Aragorn winced with a hiss of pain and pulled back abruptly.

"_Ai Eru_! Do not press upon it!" Aragorn grit out and lightly batted the hands away from him.

Elladan looked over his shoulder to the duo in the living area. "He should take some Tamiya leaf as well." he said with a an air of smug authority.

"Is that wise?" Elrohir prompted with a slight mock to his question. His brother's attitude was starting to really bother him and he challenged the idea causing the older twin to defend his thought.

"It will reduce the swelling." Elladan said factually.

"It will also make him drowsy." Elrohir countered with a clipped tone.

Elladan sighed and lifted his chin slightly. "It is the most potent antiinflammatory we have, therefore, the best option to keep the swelling down."

"If you want to baby-sit Estel all night, then go ahead. It will prove to be a chore to try and keep him up. He has had a long day, now has an injury… and you will add to his weariness with herbs?"

"Elrohir. Stop." Aragorn half heartedly asked his brother. The tension between the twins was mounting and neither were attempting to make it any better as they argued over healing techniques. The elf only marginally listened to his mortal brother while responding to his twin.

"It would be best to give him white willow instead."

"But it is not nearly as strong of an anti-inflammatory as-." Elladan shook his head, but was once again interrupted by his twin's irked remark.

"The swelling is not dangerous, Elladan! The willow will help all cases."

Elladan arched his brows with an indifferent sigh. After his brother's comments, he saw the logic behind the suggestion, but was half irritated that his brother corrected him and partially upset that he did not think that case all the way through. The elf pursed his lips as he walked to his desk and pulled open a drawer to locate another stash of herbs and pulled out what could only be assumed was white willow.

Legolas moved to the dark corners of the room, stepping toward the area that housed the bed where he was completely out of the way and totally out of sight. The brother's argument was starting to unsettle him. Knowing that his actions not only caused Aragorn to be left in pain, but now there were few remedies to comfort the man that would not place him in danger weighed heavily on his soul. The fact that the brothers were not pleased with each other and were arguing, using Aragorn's poor health as a the topic in which to turn on each other upset the troubled prince further.

The shadows of the room were cold and he crossed his arms to keep warm. He watched for a time as the Noldor-elves worried over the man, but his conscious gnawed at his heart and he could not stand to watch his injured friend any longer. He quietly turned to one of the large windows that was beside the bed and leaned on the sill. The clear sky could be seen and he looked up into the twinkling lights to try and extract some comfort and peace. The stars were not as thick as he had hoped since the moon's light was intensified as it bounced off of the snow covered earth and polluted the air with extra light. He let out a silent, afflicted sigh and his breath fogged on the chilled glass at his face.

What in the world was he doing here? He did not deserve to be here and tenderly cared for…

"Create a tea with the two herbs." Elrohir delivered instructions to his brother as he turned to track his twin's movements while Elladan made for the fire. "That would be the best way to have Estel take it."

"I know what to do with it, Elrohir." Elladan retaliated with a quiet yet snipped sneer.

Elrohir had enough.

"What on _Arda _is your problem?" Elrohir turned to fully face Elladan and looked to his brother with a cross inflection. "Ever since dinner, you have been in the foulest mood and taking it out on me."

"You know exactly what is wrong… I am not getting into it with you right now." Elladan hinted quietly. He did not want to start arguing with Elrohir over Tauriel and the identity lie. Now was not the time.

"You already have!... Pull the orc arrow out of your ass, Elladan." The second he uttered the insult, Elrohir felt an impact across the back of his head. He ducked as he grabbed his skull and looked behind him toward his human brother. "Ah! Estel!" he cried.

"Elrohir! For the last time, enough!" Aragorn was beginning to get riled since his brothers would not let up on their differences. He swatted his brother across the head to try and distract the arguing and Elrohir rubbed his head, more so out of annoyance rather than pain. Of the two identical brothers, Elrohir had a tendency to speak his mind with little regard for the words he was using in front of others. There were more times than Aragorn could count where this got him into a slew of trouble. Elladan was not exactly known for letting his brother's insults go unchecked and Aragorn hoped that he had sufficiently cut the two off before Elladan could retort.

"_Ada_ and _Nana_ taught you better manners than that!" Elladan stated bitterly as he whirled around to face his mirror image the instant Aragorn reprimanded the younger twin for his comment. The man tossed his hands up in the air slightly in defeat as the eldest would not let the matter slide. "A foul mouth will serve you no purpose here, unless you care to wear a black eye for the next few days and I will gladly let you!"

"That's it… no more." Aragorn stated easily and began to stand. "Listening to the two of you argue is worse than dealing with my headache. I had hoped to come here to find out what had happened and for some help, but I think I would rather tend to myself rather than have the two of you continue to nit-pick at each other and carry on as you are. It has been a long day for us all and I would have hoped we could come together as a family, but it seems we are being driven apart by stupidity!"

Elrohir stood with his mortal brother and kept his position in front of the man, preventing him from leaving. He quietly spoke words of apology to Aragorn and encouraged him to sit down.

"Estel..." Elladan took a few steps towards him. His hard expression of defense and annoyance had vanished and he came forward to try and keep the man among them. "I am sorry."

"Save your apologies for each other." The man mumbled. He looked to the twins and the symmetrical expression upon their face of remorse and worry were equally worn.

"Please take a seat Estel." Elrohir asked for cooperation.

The man took a moment to stare down the two elves, but their features had sobered, letting the man know they would not continue quarrelling. That did not mean they forgave each other, but for now the argument would be put to rest. Slowly Aragorn sank back to the chair, but kept a stern eye on the two until Elladan walked back to the fire to tinker with herbs and Elrohir headed to the bathing chamber.

"_Ai_ sometimes I feel like the wise one and am the elder of the group." Aragorn grumbled as he shifted around to get comfortable once again. Elrohir could be heard giving off a humored snort from the washroom as he set to work cleaning his hands.

"Wise one?" His repeated question rang through the rooms. Despite his irritation with his twin, Elladan could not help but chuckle slightly as his twin turned his attentions to pick on the man in good fun. "That certainly is a stretched remark, is it not?"

Elrohir came from the bathing chambers and made for his twin to help him with the tea.

Elladan looked to Elrohir and they caught each other's eyes. Without the use of words, the brothers were able to communicate to one another by way of facial expressions. There was an angered sternness in Elladan's presence, stating he was not going to let their argument be forgotten and it would be brought up later.

Elrohir on the other hand looked completely puzzled and wrinkled his brows as if to ask his brother for information. It was almost like his twin was angry with him, but for what reason he could not begin to guess. He knew Elladan was not happy about his identity switch earlier, but he thought the matter had been resolved before Elladan left the dining hall.

Elladan's hard-nosed expression darkened by a hair and he slowly looked back to his work with a huff.

Elrohir silently rolled his eyes and ignored it. Contending with his brother would have to wait, but he moved forward and acted civil.

"What can I do?" He asked his twin softly.

"Here is the willow." Elladan said in a low tone and practically tossed the leather pouch to his twin rather than hand it to him.

Elrohir clenched his jaw as he moved fast to catch the bundle that was thrown his way. He was prevented from speaking as his oldest brother continued to talk.

"I only have it in the form of raw bark unless you have any in your rooms." Elladan stated.

"Nay, I do not. The sap I used to have is long gone, nor do I have any refined powder left. I can check the healing wing to see if they have any."

"I would not worry over it. It is doubtful that Minas Tirith's healing wards would have any. White willow does not grow this far south."

"You never know. They may have some."

"Well, if you want to go check you may. I am not holding you here. I just do not see the point in leaving when I have this readily available. As long you prep it properly it will work just as well in this form as any other." Elladan moved off to locate a ceramic bowl he would need momentarily. As he walked away, he pointed to the hearth to direct Elrohir. "Here is the mortar and pestle. I would not pulverize the bark, but smash it well enough to break it apart to help release the sap. I shall get some water boiling."

Elladan found the bowl then stood before the fireplace. He set the basin on the stone hearth then worked quietly as he grabbed the cauldron that was resting near the fire and he slowly poured the calming mixture he made not long ago into the container for a later use.

Elrohir went to work and placed a few bark chips in the grinding vessel and began the task of breaking up the woody matter.

An eerie calm seemed to settle over the rooms and Elrohir looked up from his work to glance at Aragorn who was lightly massaging his temples. His elbow dug heavily into the arm of the chair and it seemed he leaned all of his weight upon his hand while his thumb worked in a circular motion causing his head to nod.

Elrohir looked through the chambers and was not pleased with the lack of light in Elladan's rooms. As elves, the Noldor brothers needed little light to be content. Part of them loved the cover of night, for it gave a dazzling sight of the starry heavens through their windows. However, the younger twin knew that the darkness posed danger to his mortal brother who would be enticed by its heavy stillness to fall asleep.

He looked back toward the fireplace and noted candles on the mantle that were adding a rich light to the living area. If he could get a few more waxy pillars in the room, it may help in keeping sleep elusive. There was plenty of space for more candles in his brother's room and he looked to the desk he was using as a work table. The dark rich wood provided ample space for candles, even an oil lamp if he could find one.

He looked to the dresser and calculated the surface that he saw. It could be cleared of a few of the herbs to make room for more light. Beyond the dresser, he knew the windows in sleeping area contained deep window sills that would create a perfect perch to house more lamps. The curtains would have to be pulled a safe distance back, but as long as the fabric drapes were kept clear of the flame, there should be no reason to worry for their placement.

Elrohir did a double take of the dark area and he felt a spark of sorrow that caught him off guard. There in front of the windows, Legolas stood. The Noldor elf had forgotten that the prince was in here and he watched the blond for a moment. Legolas' arms were crossed tightly and his hunched shoulders looked out of place on the once proud wood-elf.

Something tugged at Elrohir's alarm, but he could not figure it out. The prince was still and blended into the darkness that surrounded him. He looked as lifeless as the shadow-cloaked furniture while he stood there, motionless, looking into the night sky.

Then it dawned on Elrohir why something seemed wrong. The wood-elf himself was dark. His natural shimmer could not be seen and despite standing before the heavens, the soft silver-blue hue that emanated from all elves was not detected around the prince.

Elrohir quickly looked to himself. Being indoors greatly impacted the elf's natural radiance and it was hard to get a glimpse of if it was not consciously intensified. His glow was not exactly bright or worth taking note, but he reached out to the window nearest himself, placing his hand in the heavenly light. Instantly, the soft captivating glow bounced off of his skin.

Elrohir's eyes were redirected to the prince and he could not tear his eyes away from the cold, forlorn image of his friend. The raven-haired elf reached his hand behind himself, floundering about to try and reach his brother. He took a few blind steps back until his hand brushed over his twin's arm and he tapped quickly to get his Elladan's attention.

"What?" Elladan mumbled, doing his best to hide his annoyance.

Elrohir's fingers snagged in his brother's sleeve and he pulled Elladan towards him to silently get his twin to look. Elrohir knew if he started talking, his voice would be consumed with alarm, though he was unsure of he could speak with the fear that formed a lump in his throat.

Elladan followed his brother's stare and he too finally saw Legolas. The Noldor-elf's expression was grim, but strangely not surprised.

Elladan did not say anything and his lack of response disturbed Elrohir. The younger twin turned to face his brother and saw a look of loss upon Elladan's face, indicating that this was ill news, though not surprising.

Elrohir used only a breath of air in which to speak and his whisper was so faint, only his Elladan could hear it. "His light…. it is gone."

Elladan just gave a stiff nod.

"You knew about this?" the younger twin's expression was pained. "He is fading!" It was not a question and Elrohir's eyes went wide with dread.

Elladan let out a troubled sigh. He wish he could deny that statement, but his speculations from earlier were only being validated. He swallowed thickly.

"He is not well. He has lost the feeling in his hands. I had hoped to find another reason for this, but I cannot think of any. His stress is getting to him. He struck Estel due to a flashback. He cannot escape his torment and it is eating him away."

Elrohir looked off as his eyes became watery, but could not help but to look again to Legolas. He shook his head to himself with regret. They were so close to getting on the right track. So close…

"How long have you known about this? How long has this been going on?" Elrohir kept his voice to the faint whisper and his brother did the same.

"This is the first I noticed about his light, though I cannot recall him in any recent time being outdoors where we would have noticed it before."

"This… doesn't just happen overnight. That downward decline progresses over time." Elrohir looked back to his brother and saw the understanding in the shale eyes.

"I know." Elladan said regretfully. "He told me only moments ago about the numbness in his hands. Apparently that did just start only recently... and quite suddenly."

Elrohir looked to the floor and lost himself for a few seconds in thought until Elladan bumped his arm lightly to get his attention.

"Do not say anything to Estel just yet." He breathed and he began to walk past Elrohir towards the prince. Aragorn saw the movement of his brother and looked up to him as he walked by and Elladan gave the man a pat of comfort before continuing on.

The Noldor-elf paused just before the shadows and called out softly to the wood-elf so as not to startle him.

"Legolas?"

With the exception of the slight rise and fall of his chest, the elf did not move.

"Legolas? _Mellon-nin_?" Elladan said a little louder and took a step closer. Legolas jerked in mild surprise and he looked to the Noldor-elf with a blank expression as he studied the Noldor's face to determine which of the twins called out to him.

Elladan gave the elf a warm smile, banishing any looks of sorrow. "Legolas? Why do you not come from the shadows?" His question went unanswered and the Noldor-elf stepped forward now that Legolas knew he was there. "Come _mellon-nin_, let us take a seat by the fire, hum?" he wrapped an arm around his shoulders to pull him toward the living area, but Legolas pulled back.

"Elladan, I should not be here." he looked around the elf before him and nodded toward Aragorn's form in the chair.

"Nonsense, Legolas. I think it would do you some good to see Estel and I am sure he will be glad to see you too."

Legolas just pressed his lips into a thin line and looked back to the window.

"Running from your fears has got to stop. It only allows you to harp upon the past and dread the future. Estel is truly alright. It would be absurd for us to think that he would not be in any pain, but I assure you he will come out of this with no issues."

"And what if I lose it again? What if I cannot help but to lash out…. on anyone?"

"What did I just say? You are already focused on the past and you have nothing but a gloomy outlook upon the future. I know you do not want to cause any more harm to Estel, but I honestly believe that will not happen… You have your wits about you now. I will be close by and so will Elrohir. We will not let anything happen to either you or Estel… even ourselves."

Legolas dropped his sights to the dark floor, but Elladan did not wait for a response and he pulled the prince into a supportive embrace with an arm draped across the Wood-elf's shoulders. The Noldor healer got the prince to move despite Legolas' hesitancy.

As the two emerged from the shadows, Elrohir grabbed the wooden chair that was pushed off to the side and repositioned it so it was placed next to the plush chair Aragorn occupied. However, the elf pulled it a small distance away from the human's chair, both for Aragorn's safety and Legolas' comfort.

Legolas took a quiet seat and glanced at the man. Aragorn had changed positions and was once again leaning back in the chair. The blanket provided a makeshift pillow and his half-lidded eyes were staring, unseeingly, at the ceiling.

The prince looked away to try and find Elladan, but he had moved off and was nowhere near him. Elrohir had moved back to the desk and was once again crunching the bark.

Elladan's voice caused the other elves of the room to glance at him. Elrohir looked up from his work to find his brother standing before his wardrobe while Legolas twisted in his seat to see the Noldor-elf.

"Elrohir?... Why is your cloak in my closet?" Elladan asked with a hint of doubt and frustration. The cloak was still hung on the hanger, but was fanned out as the draping material was pulled forward so the garment could be inspected. The elf had a hand on his hip in a dissatisfied stance and he looked back to his twin with a quirked brow.

"Uh..." Elrohir looked away and continued to grind the bark. "I um… I hung it there when I came back this evening. I put my cloak there and borrowed one of your shirts. I was going to retrieve it later."

"I assume, then, you did this to take on my name?" Elladan's tone was factual, but disappointed nonetheless. He was not upset that his brother housed some of his things in here, nor was really irritated that his brother borrowed his clothes. The fact that Elrohir had done all this to assume his identity so that he could trick Tauriel only began to ignite his sourness again. Elrohir had claimed he did it to get to the bottom of Tauriel's troubles, but Elladan still did not like that idea. Tauriel had clearly indicated that she did not want to be with Elrohir; she had even expressed that in the hallway not long ago. Why his brother was so hung up on her was beyond him and he wished he could just remove her all together. He did not hate Tauriel after she had turned his brother down. Not to mention her heartbreaking apology, even if it was to the wrong person, was sincere. However, she was becoming a nuisance… as was Elrohir.

Elrohir let out a sigh. "Yes… Tauriel was with me... Had I gone to my rooms-"

Legolas turned quickly to face the speaking elf at the mention of Tauriel. His heart felt like it stopped beating. However, Elrohir was not allowed to finish his statement as Elladan interjected.

"She came in here?!"

"Nay, only I. She awaited for me in the hallway, but I had nowhere to store my cloak and had no wish to drape it across any of your furniture. I was going to collect it later tonight."

"Elrohir..." the eldest began to say with a lecturing tone, but everyone was surprised when Aragorn intervened.

"Don't start Elladan..." The man blinked heavily then picked his head up with effort. He could hear his brother behind him, but did not try to turn to see him.

Elladan's scowl seemed to darken, but no one saw it. With a miffed huff, he continued to go about his business. He pulled out his own cloak before closing the closet doors and made his way back to the living area. The cloak was draped around the prince's shoulders as he did not have another blanket, but he made do with what he had available. He crossed the room swiftly and retrieved the washcloth that was left to steep in the herbal mixture and he carried it over to the prince.

"Here..." Elladan said softly. "Just in case." He gave a cheery smile to help alleviate any tension with the prince and Legolas tentatively took the rag with a barely audible 'thanks'. "I need to help get Aragorn taken care of. Just take it easy." Elladan hovered for a moment, then walked off to get working.

Legolas fiddled with the rag in his hands, but without really knowing what else to do with it, he brought it close to his face where he inhaled the herbal mix. Again, the sweet smell sent a wave of calm through his awareness and he held the washcloth in place to continue to drain the rag of all of its calming abilities. He watched Elladan return to his work and both raven-haired elves stood at the other end of the room silently. They barely spoke to one another and it felt as though they were doing everything to avoid each other in the small space.

Legolas felt in part responsible for the Noldor-elfs' stresses and worries, but then again, this was not the first time he had seen the brothers upset with one another. There were numerous occasions where the twins could not take to being around each other and the causes of their feuds could be placed on the smallest and most ridiculous things. Even as adults, the childish arguments would surface and even up to the day that Elrond departed the shores of Middle Earth, The noble Lord of Imladris would step in and separate his sons quickly.

Legolas hoped the brothers were just in a mood and some time alone would solve their problems. If not, the trend would extend to their adoptive brother who could not stand the arguing. Yet, ironically Aragorn would argue back to voice his displeasure with the momentary crack in the twin's bond. Playful banter was one thing, but true resentment was another and something Aragorn never liked.

This was becoming quite the mess and Legolas could feel his anxieties start to build. He took another puff of air through the rag.

Thinking of Aragorn caused the prince to unconsciously look to his friend. His chanced glance became a double take of the man who was watching him lazily. Legolas looked off quickly.

"It has been quite an evening..." Aragorn offered the statement offhandedly to his friend.

Legolas' insides cringed with the small statement. "I am so sorry Aragorn." The prince whispered.

Looking at the elf beside him did not exactly help his headache, so Aragorn carefully leaned back and placed his head back upon the wadded up blanket. He let out a heavy sigh as he asked a simple question.

"For what? You have nothing in which to be sorry for." Aragorn did his best to try and lay any fears to rest, but he honestly could not get into reassurance at the moment. Legolas was blaming himself for Valar-knows-what and this was the last thing he wanted to deal with.

"Do you not know what happened?" Legolas asked, but he would not look at Aragorn.

"Depends on what you are referring to…The last thing I remember was…." The man closed his eyes and brought a hand to his face to rub his eyes. "Well… I remember talking with the carpenter and then we were heading back to the palace… Though I do not quite remember getting inside."

"I… think your mind is recalling a false memory, Strider..." The elf said with more guilt. Not being able to remember something was bad enough…. but Aragorn thought he had spoken to a carpenter? Surely that must have been a dream.

"Hum?" the man seemed to force out with effort.

"It is still dark out."

"Yes. Elrohir said I was not out too long."

"Therefore it is doubtful you spoke with a carpenter in the cold, dark early hours of the morning."

"What are you talking about? I know I spoke with him earlier. His name is Dillian and I have set up a meeting with him tomorrow…" Aragorn dropped his hand and opened his eyes. His sights were fuzzy from pressing upon his lids, but through the blurry outlook he could make out one of the twins approaching him.

"Here Estel, open your mouth." Elrohir innocently interrupted and the man who did so. Something papery was placed in Aragorn's cheek and the elf spoke softly once more. "Now bite on it. It is a ginffay leaf. This will help keep your energy levels up so you do not fall asleep. Just suck on this for a while until the tea is ready."

"Don lemme forgetto get a car'ge setup to pick Di-e-yan up tomo-er-ow." the man mumbled around a clenched jaw to keep the herb leaf place within his mouth.

"No, you are not to worry yourself over that. I can find Faramir and have him set up a carriage run... Though we may have to postpone the meeting with Dillian until you are able to meet with him."

Legolas looked to Aragorn and Elrohir perplexed. "So… he did speak with someone?"

"Pardon?" Elrohir looked to the prince quickly then watched the man begin to chew lightly on the leaf. "You mean Estel? Speaking with Dillian?"

The prince nodded skeptically.

"Aye he did - we did… We found someone who might be able to help. And wait until you speak to him!" Elrohir landed a mischievous smile upon the wood-elf. "Or at least try to speak with him. You will be lucky to get even a few words in with that man, but I am sure he means well. He may test your patience though."

The prince shook his head in disbelief. "Why did you leave so early?" he asked. Legolas appreciated everyone jumping in to help as soon as they could, but why his friends left before dawn even arrived was extremely sudden, even dangerous.

"Well, we wanted to get a quick start on it!" Elrohir said with enthusiasm. "How does that taste Estel? I hope it is not too bitter..." Elrohir became distracted with his brother.

Legolas looked to the fire. "You could have waited until it was light out..." Legolas offered. His personal worries had been addressed with his friends and he did not feel he was in a race against time to speak with anyone about ship-building.

Elrohir looked up, confusion clouding his visage. "We… we did... It was well after breakfast when we set out."

It was Legolas' turn to crease his face as he became thoroughly puzzled over Elrohir's statement. "Breakfast?"

There was a long pause before Elrohir spoke slowly.

"Um, Legolas… do you not know that you have been asleep for the entire day?" Elrohir began to note what the confusion was about.

Legolas' jaw fell open slightly while his blank expression met Elrohir's. "I what?"

Elrohir let out a soft chuckle. "Aye. You fell asleep in the fire hall last night. We stayed with you until the sun came up. Estel, Gimli and myself ventured out into the town on a lead that Estel had acquired some days earlier. We were on the chase of carpentry skills all day and only arrived back here after the sun had set. Elladan spent the day with you while you slept in the hall. Estel took over care while we took our evening meal. However, that is when things fail to make much sense to me. A guard came to the dining hall to gather me and no sooner had I arrived, did you and Elladan leave."

Legolas dropped his sights.

The attention was diverted from the prince when Elladan called out to his twin.

"Elrohir, the water is boiling. Where is the willow bark?"

"It is on the desk." Elrohir got up to retrieve the bowl that contained the bruised bark and began to work quietly with Elladan.

"You had me doubting myself there _mellon-nin_." Aragorn managed to say as he moved the leaf into his cheek so he could talk.

"Me too..." Legolas whispered. He continued to look across the room, but gave into some unknown call to look at his friend. Aragorn gave the elf a lopsided grin to which the prince tried to return.

"What is bothering you? Do not be upset that you slept all day. You needed it." Aragorn said and he leaned back once more and closed his eyes.

"You really do not know what happened?" Legolas asked again. He almost felt relieved that Aragorn could not remember that he had lashed out on him, but the relief was short lived as the prince knew one of the man's brothers would only fill him in. He did not want to hide anything from his friend, but he honestly wish there was something else to tell Aragorn.

"Well, I think I know more than you do." Aragorn stated with subtle mirth. Legolas frowned at the man.

"I struck you Estel." Legolas' retort was completely unexpected and the man lifted his head to eye the blond elf.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I struck you." Legolas repeated, though this time his voice was becoming rough. "Apparently you were in the hall with me. I awoke in a frenzy from a night terror and I was the one who caused that." the prince inclined his head to the man, trying to indicate his thoughts to the bandage around Aragorn's head.

Aragorn's fingers sought the linen wrap and he touched it as if in thought before he dropped the hand and looked back to his friend. He did not know what to say. He wanted to confirm everything would be alright, but his failure to remember anything during that time left him uncertain.

"I am so sorry Aragorn..." the pain in the prince's voice struck a chord of heartache deep within the man. The last thing he want the elf to do was assume more grief over this, especially at the man's expense. Aragorn was about to counter the apology when he was interrupted.

Both king and prince looked quickly towards the fire as a low voice of resentment was grit out. The words were undecipherable, but the tone was. Elladan and Elrohir had moved off to the far wall and were speaking quietly among themselves. Elladan was whispering harshly to his twin, accusingly pointing his finger at his twin, then off to some point. Elrohir's crossed arms were firmly locked and he leaned in close so his statement could be delivered to his brother. It was evident the twins were trying to resolve their differences, but Aragorn was not so sure this was the time nor place to do this.

Aragorn tore his disappointed gaze away from his brothers to find the prince watching the two elves exchange heated words. The man was sure his sharp ears could pick up the private conversation, so he tried his best to draw the prince away from the fuming brothers.

"Legolas, it is alright-"

"No it is not." the wood-elf said despondently as he turned to face Aragorn.

"Please-"

"No Strider. You can say it is, but it is not alright. You are hurt, I am not sane… who is to say this will not happen again? I should not be here. Your very safety is in jeopardy by you being near me… your own friend is your biggest danger." The elf was working hard to suppress his tears and despite his emotions he laughed bitterly at his last statement. "I can walk alongside you in life, fight with you as I have always done, fight *_for_* you, protect you… but how can I protect you from myself?"

The elf could feel the dull pinching in his throat as the tears welled up suddenly, but he quickly brought the washing cloth to his face, breathing slow and deep to try and use the false calm to keep himself composed.

A sudden shout cause both Aragorn and Legolas to look back towards the twins.

"Fine!" Elrohir snapped to his twin and stormed off to leave his stone-faced brother in his wake, watching him leave. The younger elf crossed the room and made for the exterior doors. He swung them open and non-too-gently closed it behind him as he let his anger dive himself out of the room.

"Elladan, what did do?" Aragorn asked.

Elladan came forward and spoke casually to the duo who were watching.

"Elrohir needs to tend to some unfinished business that I tried to close out not long ago. He can be mad at me, but I was not going to play along with his little ruse any longer for it was getting far out of hand."

The Noldor healer walked to fire place and used a ladle to gather some of the water from the boiling pot and poured the spoonful into the mug he had. After gathering another portion and the mug was full, he sprinkled something in the liquid before he headed over to Aragorn and handed him the mug.

"I wish you hadn't done that." Aragorn said as he brought the mug to his lips and took a testing sip to see how safe it was to drink. He hissed as the steamy water burned his lips and tongue and he resolved himself to hold the mug and blow across the top of it until it was a tolerable temperature.

"No, Elrohir needs to set things straight before this mess becomes any larger." Elladan moved away from Aragorn and crouched beside the wood-elf.

"How is that holding up?" the healer asked the prince and he smirked as he noted the elf was no longer resistant to using the drought. Legolas would not look at him however and he furrowed his brows. "Legolas?..."

"He is upset with himself over what happened to me." the man supplied and he took another test sip from his cup. The surface of the mug had cooled somewhat, but he grimaced regardless as the bitter taste was less than pleasant.

"Oh, Legolas..." Elladan sighed. "We went over this _mellon-nin_."

"As did I." Aragorn added.

Elladan watched the prince worriedly for a moment. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed his lips when he could not come up with anything better to say. Instead he made an offering to the blond elf.

"May I freshen that for you?" Elladan indicated to the wash cloth.

The prince pulled it away from his face and picked at the wet cloth, but his dark look of disappointment only clouded when he still could not feel anything in his hands. The elf just mutely nodded and reluctantly gave up the rag, which Elladan placed back in the bowl to steep once again. The healer took a seat on the hearth and watched his two companions for a moment.

"So Legolas told you what happened?" Elladan asked the man and Aragorn nodded. "Legolas and I spoke for some time before you arrived… this was not a one time occurrence and I think we may have figured out why this happens." He looked to the wood-elf who clumsily griped the cloak and pulled it tighter about him. "It is a stress response. It seems there are several factors to it, but when in the right combination, Legolas cannot seem to process reality and he is taken back to… his... " Elladan did not know how to put it, but he did his best to speak plainly and lightly. "...to his days of torment. Typically, it starts with a nightmare that when he awakes from it, a part of his mind is still in the fight or flight mode." Elladan said.

Aragorn listened intently while he took another small sip from the bitter brew.

"The other part of it seems to be the Gondorian tunic that your men wear."

Aragorn cocked his head slightly "How so?"

Elladan gave the wood-elf a compassionate gaze, but the prince kept his eyes rived to the stone floor. "Legolas said his captors wore the same thing."

"They did." Aragorn confirmed. "That is one of the reasons why we found him. I saw, what looked like, a soldier walking the streets of the travelers post and thought it odd that one of my men were there. That is how they took people hostage; they acted like authority to carry out my wishes and captured people."

"Is that what happened Legolas?" Elladan asked the prince. He knew the wood-elf heard what Aragorn said and the blond head nodded slightly. "So you thought they were Aragorn's men and they took advantage of you."

"It was just two of them. They were calling for help as one of them claimed he had a broken leg and no medical supplies."

"And you went to their aid?" Elladan pressed on. Legolas nodded.

Silence took over as Elladan and Aragorn pondered over the new information. Elladan however resumed speaking to Aragorn on the matters he uncovered.

"Well, the men kept him drugged and Legolas said when he was going under or coming to, the jerkin would often be the only thing recognizable… they wore it the entire time." Elladan punctuated his last sentence silently to the man with raised brows and a slight dip to his head. Aragorn gasped breathlessly before looked to his crestfallen friend in horror.

"I believe he is suffering from soldier-sickness." Elladan jumped in. He did not want the last comment he uttered to be harped upon, not now at any rate.

"Soldier-sickness?" Aragorn repeated the term back in question and the twin just nodded.

"Aye. In a sense. You know of the men who come back from war after witnessing the atrocities of battle and they cannot but help to live in the past of trauma and scarring that is all within their minds?"

"I do, but… that… that just does not seem…" Aragorn was processing the information and while he wanted to deny it, it was beginning to make sense.

"It is not battle nor the hardships that war brings about Legolas' ailments, rather it is the overwhelming feeling of fear and pain from his trauma that consumes him. 'Soldier' would not pertain to him as this did not happen in war, but it is the same principle based off traumatic events."

Elladan reached into the pot and grabbed the washing cloth to prep it for the elf. He was surprised that the prince was not in hysterics of the retelling of this and he knew the herbal mix was to thank for that. However, the prince was still clearly upset and had remained silent. The washcloth was pressed into the elf's palm and Legolas brought it to his mouth and nose once more while Elladan resumed his seat on the hearth.

"Feelings of panic seem to kick-start the process, the Gondorian logo is the trigger." Elladan continued but he looked down sharply to Legolas as his mumbled words added more information.

"Only in clothing." even his muffled words were heavy with sorrow.

"Yes, as he said it is only in the form of clothing where this becomes too realistic for him. That is why I had you remove your tunic Estel."

"So the banners and flag that are hung about, are not concerning?" Aragorn asked. He looked to Elladan, but then redirected his gaze to the prince.

Legolas shook his head. "Nay… There is no one behind a flag, but in a tunic, there is a person."

"And it is not all the time… He has done a remarkable job holding it together with everyone here, but when his mind is not guarded, it tends to slip. Waking from sleep seems to be the norm, but…. well... induced hazes can create the same effect."

Aragorn took a sip of bitter tea and thought on the information supplied. He became lost.

"Induced hazes?" the man inquired over the rim of the mug as he took another sip, this time larger.

Quietly Elladan signaled to the man by holding an imaginary cup and tipping to towards his face, indicating drinking. The king's face relaxed after figuring it out. He did not particularly like hearing that the prince had been indulging in alcohol given his health. He was pulled from his pondering when Elladan spoke again.

"But he does not always see the person wearing the tunic." Elladan added. "He sees a being or sometimes he even sees his captors, but the true person who wears it is not usually seen. That is what happened in your case… and my case… and Elrohir's case-"

"Wait… you two were…. also?" Aragorn did not need to speak of the physical altercation to get his question answered.

"Yes, several weeks ago. Although we did not realize the full impact of the situation then and regretfully we let the matter slide without much thought."

Aragorn nodded slowly as his mind turned inward and he mulled over everything he was just told. Something needed to be done; that much was obvious, but what action to take now was not easy to discern. He looked back to his friend who had the washing cloth pressed against his face and he spoke softly, hoping the elf would be honest and not try to hide anything.

"What can we do _mellon-nin_? What can we do to stop this?"

The prince inhaled deeply before his response was given. "I do not know." the prince said miserably. "I am so sorry Strider."

Aragorn stretched across his chair and reached out for his friend, barely able to reach him. He placed his fingers on the elf's cloak-covered arm to offer the most reassurance that he could.

"He has been struggling with this for a long time." Elladan stated easily. "I know not how to stop this other than removing the trigger and keeping his stress down."

Aragorn did not comment on the thought. Sure that made total sense, but that was not a true solution to the issues at hand. Unfortunately, the symbol of Gondor was spread across the southern lands. There would be no getting away from it, even if they did their best to keep the tunic from sight. This was especially true in the White City. The plan might work for a little while, but they had to find a solution to the issue, not a cover up.

There was a sudden knock on the doors and the three looked to one another in question. Elladan narrowed his sights, suspicious over who could be trying to contact him at this hour.

"Who is it?" Elladan called out.

"My Lord Elladan, It is I, Anna, the maid. I was told you requested to have meals delivered to your quarters?"

Elladan looked completely surprised yet worried as he had forgotten his request and he jumped up to gain the door. The hinges of the door groaned when he opened the wood panels and greeted the head maid quickly.

"Yes, thank you Anna, I will take this." He said as he reached for the tray of food that was held between her hands.

"I apologize for the delay my lord, but my staff has been busy. They meant to get it here sooner, but were called away to tend to other matters. Is there anything more I can do for you?"

"No, but thank you Anna." the elf said with a polite smile and the maid curtsied to the noble elf before she turned to leave.

Elladan used his foot to swing the door closed. He walked back to the fire place and set the tray of food down on the stone hearth to begin sorting through the plates and bowls that were offered. He was trying to make sense of what portions belonged to what meal.

"I had forgotten that I requested to have food brought to us." Elladan said to his companions. Just as he ordered, two portions of the nightly meal was provided as well as a bowl of broth and bread. A silver fluted pitcher was filled with water and three cups were placed upside down to make transport easier. "Estel were you able to get something to eat?" Elladan asked. There was plenty to share if the man was hungry.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Aragorn stated. He could not remember anything and though he did not feel hungry, he honestly did not feel full.

"Well, I would like to err on the side of caution and assume you have not. It can never hurt." Elladan said with a smile as he looked to the man quickly then went back to dividing the food up. "Legolas, I have several things here. It looks like the nightly meal was some sort of red meat, heat-wilted greens, and a few sides… corn, stewed apples, dinner rolls…"

The very mention of the food started a queasiness in the prince's stomach and he swallowed thickly before he responded.

"No. I would rather hold off for a while. I do not feel well." he said. He could smell the savory scents wafting from the food tray and while it was a pleasant smell, it did not help his stomach any.

"Then, there is a bowl of plain broth and some bread."

"Please Elladan. I do not want anything at the moment."

"You never want anything, at any time." Elladan said in a peculiar light tone. He was not going to let the prince out of this.

"No, I am serious, I do not think I can eat right now." the prince pulled the cloth tighter to his face to try and block the scent of food. Aragorn suddenly came to his friends case. He remembered all too well the consequences of making the prince eat against his will and he did not want a repeat of that sick night.

"Elladan, do not make him." the king said evenly. "We will wait until he is ready."

The Noldor elf stood with the bowl of broth and spoon and handed it to the prince who shook his head, but was forced to take the offerings. The wide rimmed soup bowl was pushed into his possession and Legolas reluctantly accepted it with one hand. The other was kept at his face to keep the rag in place.

"And when do you suppose that will be?" Elladan seemed to ask both the prince and king. "Have we not already waited until you wanted to eat? And have you ever wanted to eat?" the Noldor elf asked of the wood-elf. "Naturally, you are a lean elf, but you are far too thin. You need to eat."

"I do not think I can keep it down." The prince tried to counter. He began to dread being forced to eat.

"You have to push forward to make progress. I do not know what may have caused you to get sick the last time, but I am hoping to put a stop to it tonight. There was a lot going on the night you became sick, so I am not at all convinced it was due to any one thing in particular. But we have a few advantages that we did not have the last time; You have slept and you seem to take well to the inhalant. The night you ate, we were served a rather rich food. Broth does work wonders on an upset stomach… I honestly think you will be alright….. This could also just be a matter entirely in your head... You need to try and eat." Elladan encouraged.

Aragorn listened to his brother's case. He was uneasy to force the prince to consume anything and had been ever since he spent a night soothing the heaving elf. Yet in the same respect, he knew the prince could not go much longer without food either.

Elladan walked back to the fire without another word to close his case. He picked up a serving of food and made his way to his adopted brother and presented the food to the man.

"And food for you, Estel." Elladan said in an upturned tone to gain the man's attention as the plate was handed to the king.

Aragorn was thankful to have food with a better taste served to him. While the tea did bring about relief to his headache, he still could not stand the taste. He downed the mug of pain reducing tea quickly so he did not have to continue to endure the bitter drink. He tipped his head back as it was gulped down and when the last swallow was finished, the bitter taste swelled in his mouth. The man shuddered at the amaroidal sensation upon his tongue. He set the empty mug on the floor and went to work gathering food on his fork and took a quick, yet careful bite to chase away the residual unpleasant taste. The pain in his head surged as the muscles constricted when he chewed his food, but he went on more delicately.

Elladan sat on the hearth and placed his plate in his lap so he could begin to eat as well. He watched his brother for a time as the man began to pick at the food, then to the prince who still held the bowl of broth and made no attempt to eat.

"If you would like, Legolas, I can spoon feed you." Elladan knew the prince's overwhelming pride would not allow for that to happen, but said it as a subtle threat to get the prince to follow his wishes.

The look on wood-elf's face was dark after the comment. Eventually, he set the rag down and clumsily grabbed the spoon. He took a deep breath and held it as he scooped the amber liquid into the utensil, but he seemed to have a hard time getting it to stay in the spoon's bowl. He tried slower this time, but the act was far harder to do without the feeling in his fingers to dictate the use of fine motor skills.

Legolas tightened his grip on the spoon and scraped the bottom of the bowl, trying to will the liquid to somehow stay perched in the spoon, but like last time, it dribbled out of the silverware and back to the bowl.

Aragorn heard the scratchy melody as the elf raked the bottom the soup bowl and did his best to try and make light of the situation. The prince was gripping the spoon within a fist rather than his fingers and the elf could not seem to keep a steady hand. Aragorn had no idea what the elf was currently battling and his humorous observation did not sit well with the prince.

"Have you forgotten how to use a spoon, _mellon-nin_?" Aragorn teased. The prince wrinkled his nose at the comment in severe irritation.

Elladan watched as the elf quickly became frustrated. He knew what was going on and came up with a better plan of action. He spotted the mug Aragorn had set aside and he made for it. After picking it up, he headed to the bathing chambers where he washed the mug quickly then returned to the living area.

Elladan approached the prince and held his hand out, silently asking for the soup bowl. He took it from the prince and stepped back as he poured the broth into the cup.

"This will be easier than using a spoon." Elladan nearly whispered, softly delivering encouragement to keep a positive aura despite the prince's failures. Elladan gave Legolas a knowing smile as he handed him the mug of broth.

Aragorn strained to hear the two elves talk and he did not like the way Elladan spoke. Something had happened and it was being kept from him.

After Elladan offered the mug to the prince, he walked back to the hearth, finally able to take a seat without interruption and began to cut a piece of meat from the slab on his plate. The food was placed in his mouth and as he chewed, he looked about the room. The Noldor-elf caught sight of the man's inquisitive stare then glanced to the prince who was looking into the depths of the mug with caution.

"What is going on?" Aragorn said as his fork was loaded with the dark cooked greens. "Why so secretive?" The king looked between his friend and brother, finding neither of them taking it upon themselves to fill the man in. Aragorn was wise enough to know Legolas would not speak since it was all too apparent that the matter concerned him. So the man looked to Elladan for the answers he sought.

Elladan did not respond right away and seemed to be contemplating his response. Aragorn should not be left in the dark about this. Besides, Elladan would have to tell him eventually. Since the man wanted to know now, he caved and spoke slowly.

"There has been a drastic change in Legolas' health and it came about suddenly." the healer stated. Aragorn's brow creased but he was saved from asking his question as Elladan continued to speak. "He has lost the feeling in his hands."

The look of alarm played across Aragorn's features and he looked quickly to his friend. "What?" was all he could really seem to ask at the moment.

"He is not wounded nor is there any other physical issue with his hands that I can find. It seems the nerves to pick up touch are not working. Pressure with his hands is still detected however."

"How long has this been going on?" the question was directed to the prince and Legolas peeked at the man beside him before dropping his eyes once again.

"It just started." Legolas mumbled.

"When?"

"When I woke up… not long ago."

"And it happened suddenly?" the man began to interrogate. The prince only nodded and Aragorn looked back to his brother with bewilderment etched in every groove of his face. "What could have caused this?"

Elladan bit his tongue. Just as Elrohir noted the answer, he did not have the heart to tell his brother at the moment. Not to mention discussing this in front of the prince did not seem like a good idea either. The Noldor elf shrugged to try and play off his lie and it worked as Aragorn pushed his mind to work to come up with other alternatives as to what could have caused this.

"Can you make a fist? Can you move your fingers?" the man asked with barely contained worry and the prince held his hand out and curled his fingers to show the man the range of motion was not compromised.

"And there is no feeling… at all?" Aragorn asked for clarification.

"No." the prince sighed.

Elladan could feel the tension building in the room and he did his best to cut it off. "While we do not have answers, I am sure that eating can only be a good thing." the timbre of his voice was accented with a particular punctuation, bringing the room back to the topic of the prince's appetite and the fact that he had not eaten yet. "Legolas, take the broth before it becomes cold." A sudden image came to mind and he chuckled as he spoke his next words. "Or if you would prefer, we can make you. We do have a persistent and obstinate dwarf within these halls that could be called upon to help matters."

The prince frowned.

"Legolas, please try to eat." Aragorn began to plead with his friend. "It may help your hands. You have not eaten properly in nearly a month. Elladan is right. It could help."

With a sigh to push his anxieties away, the elf brought the mug to his lips and he took a small sip of the salty liquid. It had cooled considerably and he could feel the lukewarm soup hit is core instantly. Like the last time he ate, he waited a moment to see if the sickness would begin, but after a few moments, nothing seemed to happen and he took another sip.

"Are you feeling queasy?" Elladan asked.

"No… Not yet anyway."

"Elladan," Aragorn called out. "Perhaps we can give him something to keep it from becoming an issue?"

"Well,... I do not totally disagree, but I do not want to pack him full of medications before we can try and at least deduce what is causing this?"

"Can we not do that later? He needs to keep the food down for now."

"I do not know what would best to have him take. All of the things we have are to alleviate symptoms, not prevent upset stomach… the only time we are prepared for that kind of sickness is when one uses the sleeping draught and they do not take to the side effects well. In that case, you can counter the queasiness with quelithmum, but the only reason why that might work is because it is another tranquilizer."

Elladan let out a sigh and passed a hand over his face as the continued to think the matter over. "Unless he starts to get sick, there is nothing to really give him. Perhaps he can take some ginger… but weather that is going to be strong enough is unknown."

"Let him take the ginger then." Aragorn followed his brother and agreed to give Legolas the spice in hopes of finding a prevention.

Elladan placed his plate on the hearth and made his way to his dresser where he inspected a few bottles until he found what he was looking for. He pulled out an oddly shaped, tuber-like root and made for the desk where he located a small knife from one of the drawers. He cut a small sliver from the mass and handed it over to the wood-elf.

"This is pure ginger root. Chew it and swallow." Elladan dropped the fibrous tidbit into to the elf's upturned palm and Legolas plopped it in his mouth and began to chew the spicy root. With a forced swallow, the prince consumed it.

They waited.

Aragorn and Elladan kept their sights on the wood-elf and Legolas fidgeted under their careful eye. He did his best to break the concentration on himself. He brought the mug to his lips again but before he took another swig, he asked the man how he was feeling.

"How is your head, Strider?" the prince asked.

The question was unexpected and the man started slightly. "The pain killers have been a huge help. Right now I feel fine. Surprisingly very awake… though I am sure that is due to the ginfay leaf Elrohir gave me." He gave the prince a light smile, letting the pleased look give validation to his claims and the elf nodded and took another gulp from the mug.

"Does the bandage feel tight?" Elladan asked from his seat on the hearth. "Is it swelling anymore?"

"I do not think so. It feels fine."

"Any issues with your vision?" the twin asked and Aragorn shook his head but gripped the chair's arm as the easy gesture sent his world tipping.

"Estel?" Elladan was getting ready to stand but Aragorn held a hand up to ward him off.

"I am fine… If I move my head too much, the room tips. But that is to be expected."

"How long will he be concussed?" the prince asked as he took another drink. Just as Elladan promised, it did his heart good to see the man acting better, but he was far from healed.

"Well, that is hard to tell..." Elladan said. "You can throw a pretty nasty punch, yet Aragorn's head is thick."

Aragorn rolled his eyes at the playful, brotherly remark. Legolas did not see it however. An all too recognizable feeling overtook him as his belly began to unsettle.

The brothers were taking and carrying on lightly, but the prince interrupted them.

"Could I have some water?... Please.." he said and clenched his jaw.

Elladan sobered and grabbed the pitcher and quickly filled a glass. "Are you alright?"

"I… I do not know..."

"Are you feeling ill?" Aragorn asked as he began to set his plate down on the ground to keep himself clear in case aid was needed.

Elladan passed the cup to the prince quickly and Legolas tried to grab for it. The metal water goblet slipped through his fingers and crashed on the floor. The prince cursed quietly and dropped his head to his hands. Elladan picked the cup from the floor and re-poured the water, leaving the spilled mess to be cleaned later. He crouched quickly and pressed the cup into Legolas' hands, but did not let go. He helped raise it to the prince's lips and held the glass steady so the blond elf could drink from it. He watched as a sour look began to overtake Legolas' face and he ceased drinking suddenly.

"Legolas? Talk to me, what is going on?"

"I… don't feel well."

"How so?" he asked, but the prince kept his eyes down as he began to battle his stomach. Perspiration began to bead on his brow and Legolas could feel the thickness in his mouth as the tightening in his belly began to deepen. "What do you feel?"

"My stomach… it hurts." he began to grit out.

"How does it hurt? Is it a cramping feeling, or a pressure?"

Legolas could only shake his head. He felt his stomach rise quickly and the prince hastily stood from his chair. He made for the bathroom while clutching his stomach.

He got into the room and located the waste hamper not a moment too soon. He pulled the pot into the center of the room and fell to his knees so he could curl over it to reach miserably.

Aragorn and Elladan could hear the choked sputtering coming from the stone room and the king frowned to his brother who let out a defeated sigh.

"We should not have forced him to eat." Aragorn stated with disappointment.

Elladan scratched his head lightly. "...I'll go tend to tend to him. Just take it easy Estel, I may need your help later." Elladan pushed himself to his feet and entered the bathroom.


	43. Chapter 43

_**Well, I am super bummed…..**_

_**Someone so *kindly* (not really) pointed out that the name I have chosen to use for the elven second in command is in fact a LOTR name…. and I thought it was completely original and I had made it up! **_

_**Valandil…. seriously, how is this another name? Uugghhh I looked it up and it is true! He was Isildur's youngest son! What the F***?!**_

_***I* mashed a few names up to make this one and was soooooooo proud.**_

_**BUT NOPE…... You have no idea… ***__**EPIC***_ _**disappointment.**_

_**It bugged the crap outta me so I went back and made the name different, yet still tried to make it recognizable.**_

_**So from here on out… **__**Valandil**_ _**will be **__**Valiändier**__**. It looks elvish and is kind of the same, but it is different…. and I Googled it… Valiändier is not a name in use. I have changed the name in previous chapters so I hope this will solve the problem.**_

* * *

Chapter 43

* * *

*Meanwhile*

Elrohir stormed down the dark hallways as he left his brother's rooms. Though elves were known to move without a sound, Elrohir's steps sounded softly as he drilled himself through the palace. He made no attempt to act as a peaceful elf and he let his burning anger control him. The halls flew by in a daze that made no sense as he marched off to cool down and sought no place in particular to do so.

"I cannot believe you Elladan..." Elrohir mumbled to himself as he walked. "Taking your own liberties to try and sort out *_my_* dealings?!" The younger twin clenched his fists at his side and tensed up as another wave of anger built within him.

His last heated conversation with his twin drove him mad as his mind would not stop replaying all that was said. While in his brother's rooms, Elrohir had finally managed to get Elladan to tell him why he was acting so bitter towards him. All he wanted to do was to make amends and put any anger behind them, but when Elladan retold of his encounter with Tauriel, the younger twin felt his blood run cold.

Then, the startled chill vanished quickly as his anger began to boil all over again.

"I told you I would take care of it!" He professed in a growl to stone corridor as he talked to his twin in his head. Elladan could not hear him, but he did not care. He needed to vent.

Elladan seemed a tad smug when he uncovered what he did. He had come clean in regards to the identity switch and the younger twin did not know if he was more upset that the truth came out, or if it was the fact that Elladan seemed so please to have his identity back.

"All I needed was a little time to speak with her!" Elrohir spoke out loud again as he turned down another hall, finding that he was heading towards the healing wing. He did not change his direction however, and proceeded onward.

"But you just had to let your tongue loose! You pulled me away and did not give me the chance!" His voiced snipped the air around him. He came to the large doors that closed off the healing wing and he pushed them open to gain the interior.

The healing wing was set up with a close resemblance to the medical area in Rivendell; A long hallway gave a straight-shot path through the whole branch while small private rooms for rest and recovery were set into the walls. A few of the doors were closed, indicating patients were inside, but a majority of the rooms were left open should they be needed.

Elrohir paused for a moment and looked about, curious as to why his subconscious told him to come here. His gray eyes scanned the large white stone hallways that were unusually bright despite the time of day and nearly all candles, sconces and hanging lanterns were lit.

Elrohir sighted on the medical supply pantries at the far end of the long hallway. The door was cracked open as someone had forgotten to close it and a light was left burning in the interior. A dull understanding came about and he figured he better stock up on the herbs and medicines he was lacking in his own collection. Surely Aragorn would need more sooner rather than later and if he had any hand in his foster brother's care, he needed to be prepared. The last thing he wanted to do was ask his twin brother for some of his stash.

With a sigh, he began to move down the deep aisle while his mind went back to his anger.

He knew Elladan was less than pleased with the whole ordeal involving Tauriel, but it was no excuse in his mind. He was going to handle the matter, but was never given the proper chance to.

"Oh, why could you just not let me have a chance to set things straight?!" His low voice was growing in volume as he wailed to himself. "Do you have *_any_* idea what you did?! Or did you know and you just thought it would be funny?!... It is not funny! I would never do anything like that to you! You pig nosed... fish-headed…. weasel!"

His private insults echoed slightly for the empty hallway did little to absorb the sound of his resentment. But the repeated speech brought about an odd sense a peace to the irate elf as he put his brother down secretly. Elladan deserved every word he spoke.

"Elrohir?" A soft voice sounded in the ward and the elf froze dead in his tracks. He knew that voice too well and he was taken aback.

Arwen poked her head out of the medical cupboard and she glanced down the hall to find her brother standing stone-stiff in the hallway. He had a look of utter shock upon his fair face and his cheeks were starting to flush out of embarrassment.

"Elrohir?" She questioned slowly again. She heard his ranting insults and she arched an elegant eyebrow at him, finding everything about him odd. "What are you doing?"

"Hullo Arwen." the twin said with a glum huff. He picked his steps up again but was reluctant to proceed. He looked to his sister as she made her way out of pantry and she continued to eye him skeptically. She had a small smirk spreading across her lips but it was kept at a shallow smile as he gained her side.

"What are you doing?" She asked again. Her voice held amusement but it was carefully guarded.

"I just came to get a few things. I am low on supplies." he muttered.

"Oh." She said easily and stepped aside allow him to pass her in the threshold of the door. Elrohir dropped his eyes to the floor and began to make his way past her, hoping no more talk would ensue. Arwen was never really one to choose sides in her brother's quarrels, but he knew she would have her own opinion over what transpired. A mediation session was the last thing he wanted right now. He knew he was in the wrong, but so was Elladan.

He was only a shoulder's length away from her when her voice stopped his hopes.

"Then who, may I ask... were you talking to?" She followed the younger twin into the shelved closet and crossed her arms expecting an answer.

Elrohir nipped at his lower lip as he fidgeted.

"Myself."

"Elrohir..." Arwen picked up her pace and stepped around her brother to cut him off. "I know you and know when you are troubled." she said meaningfully. Her easy smile was not quite humorous as she knew he was hiding something and doing a very poor job at concealing it.

"I've just had enough of Elladan." his disappointment saturated his tone. "And he has had enough of me."

"So Elladan is the fish-headed weasel?" she asked and he just nodded while he brushed by her again to begin looking over the cache of medicines. He reached over his head and pulled a jar of inky black liquid from the shelf and turned it over in his hands as he tried to find a label to indicate what it was.

"Yes." he said coolly.

"Alright, what are the two of you arguing about now?" She watched as the elf began to rifle through the pantry and he set a few jars and tins in the crook of his arm to carry out.

Elrohir halted his movements as a flash of memory passed through his head. Tauriel was smiling at him, wanting to talk with him. Her easy aura radiated from her and her beautiful, emerald stare bore straight into him. It drove his heart wild.

He blinked a few times to rid himself of the image and crushed his hopes in the process. How could he make this right? Though he had begun to let his hopes go concerning the connection with Tauriel, the corners of his heart refused to give up the idea completely. Seeing Tauriel only hours prior seemed to ignite his heart's wishes.

He still wanted her.

Oh but that dream was so far out of reach now, he was sure. Elladan stated she was beyond furious. How would he ever make this right?

Could she ever forgive him?

He remembered all too clearly the night on the towing cliff. Her teary eyes burned with sorrow as she ran from him.

**"_I cannot give you what your heart seeks. I have no heart to give."_** Tauriel's voice echoed painfully in his head.

Despite her words, Elrohir found his stubborn heart's desires. He could not give up so easily. He thought he could, but the realization hit him like a ton of bricks. He could not just give up - no - he *_would not*_ give up. It was not in his nature. She had a heart and perhaps if she knew him well enough, she could come to give it away.

Yet...

Could she ever look upon him and find a heartfelt connection?

Elrohir let out a heavy breath to try and push his woes aside, but they only seemed to flutter about once more. It was doubtful she would ever take to him. Especially after Elladan interjected. No, she would most likely continue to dazzle him as she pushed him aside; reel him in with the simplest of looks but cast him away unwanted.

Elrohir thought he would become sick.

A gentle hand on his shoulder pulled him back to his setting and he looked into the worried pale blue eyes of his sister. She silently encouraged him to speak.

The elf shook his head slowly to demonstrate his disapproval with all that had happened.

"I... " Elrohir began to say, but took a breath to push his rising anger aside and went back to the medicines in the pantry. "I made Elladan upset. I took his name so I could speak with Tauriel and he was not happy. I told him I would fix the matter, but I was never given the chance to."

"Elrohir..." Arwen breathed with a motherly scold. She knew what had transpired between her brother and the wood-elf. Like Elladan, she thought it would have been over after Tauriel confessed she did not want Elrohir to pursue her. But now hearing that Elrohir was still trying to make advances to get within her good graces offset any light feelings on the matter. Arwen of all people knew love was tricky and Elrohir's heart was walking a dangerous line. And now it seemed that Elladan was being dragged unwillingly into it the thick mess.

"What?" Elrohir began to shove jars out of the way and set the ones he did not need none-too-gently back on the counters as he worked through his annoyance.

"You took his name?"

"I know, Arwen, it was wrong. I did not… exactly do it intentionally. Tauriel thought I was Elladan, I just did not correct her. I… just wanted to speak with her." the last part was said with a distant voice that spoke of his heavy heart. "She was upset and I could not find it in me to simply walk away from her, nor make her more uncomfortable by letting her know it was me. I had no time to go ask his permission. It was a split second decision that I now regret and I expressed that to Elladan. I told him I would make it all better but..." Elrohir shrugged awkwardly as he held the bottles of herbs and potions within his arms.

The elf spotted a bottle of thick white matter and he grabbed for it. He uncorked it to take a sniff of the contents before recorking it and shoving it into one of his pockets.

"But you did not speak to her..." Arwen finished for her brother. She came forward to take a few things from him as his arms were becoming full. The queen began to make a pile on the floor for it was obvious he was not done with his horde.

"He didn't give me a chance!" Elrohir snapped, but it was not directed at Arwen. "He called me away to help with the matter in Hall of Fire. When I got there, he and Legolas left promptly while I was left to tend to Estel. Elladan found Tauriel and decided it was best to come clean…" The elf pursed his lips then began to mumble to himself. "Now she is hurt and upset..."

The once easy demeanor on Arwen's face began to shift. This was news to her.

"Tend to Estel how?" her words were halted as she spoke through her unease. Elrohir realized that Arwen had not been informed and he took in a deep breath to try and find an easy way to explain what had happened to Aragorn.

"Well… Legolas woke…" He said factually. He turned to try and find more items he needed and sighted on a ball of swathing materials and moved off to grab it. "He woke from a nightmare and Estel became part of it. In confusion… Legolas struck Estel and…. well, your husband now has a concussion."

"What." the statement was a sharp demand, not a question.

"Aye. He is alright however." the elf assured. "He has a headache... it is to be expected, but he is doing well despite the injury. He will need to be kept awake for a time."

"Where is he?" Arwen was trying to keep the worry from her voice but it was not completely gone.

"With Elladan." the twin said with a mocked smile. The very thought of his twin made his skin crawl at the moment and the only thing he could do to contain his annoyance was to hide it with the crude smile.

"And…. and Legolas?" Arwen stammered. She could not shake the rushed anxiety that came about her. She loved Legolas as her own brother, but suddenly doubted his stability. That thought was twisted in so many ways… To not be able to trust a family member with the safety and well being of another due to the maltreatment from horrendous criminals….

The same parody smile and easy statement was chirped by the elf. "He is with *_Elladan_*!"

"Is that wise?"

"Elladan thinks so!" His artificial enthusiasm was not helping matters. "He seems to have a plan for *_everything_*!" His satiric statement was dripping in sarcasm.

"Come now." Arwen reprimanded. "This is not the time for the two of you to be quarreling." She was worried about her husband, but the residual anger in her brother held her focus.

"You have no need to inform me." the elf stated flatly as his dolefulness pulled at him once more. "I was not the one arguing. Elladan was. I believe he could use your words of wisdom, not I."

Elrohir caught sight of a basket resting on a shelf and he plucked it from the counter to aid him in carrying his supplies. The glass jars clanked as he lifted his cradled arm, allowing the bottles to crash into the wicker crate. He then moved off to crouch by the pile of supplies on the floor that Arwen had taken from him. He went on to tenderly settle the additional items in the bowled creel. He felt a bit awkward shrugging his sister off and he took a glance up to his Arwen who was watching him.

"What are you doing here anyway?" He asked of Arwen.

"I came to get a boiling pot." Arwen said. "Elladan said he would help set one up for Eldarion, but he never came by."

Hearing of his brother's ever-so-slight error placed a seed of smugness in the younger twin's his core. Elladan was not as perfect as he made himself seem. Now his older brother made an error. Elrohir kept the thought to himself as he fought a pleasing smile from surfacing.

"What of Eldarion?" The elf asked as he went back to work with his stash.

"He has taken a cold. The poor thing has a cough and he is getting stuffy. Elladan was going to help me set up a boiling pot to help sooth him and ease his congestion. Since he did not come by as he said he would, I decided to set it up myself, but I cannot reach the pots." Arwen pointed to the very top shelves that were well out of her reach and Elrohir followed her indication.

Without even being asked, the elf stood and reached up to grab for the pots. He stood on the very tips of his toes and only barely hooked his finger in the edge of the kettle. The slight weight difference was enough to cause the pot to tip off the shelf and sent it hurling towards the insipid stone floor. However, the elf caught it single handedly without even batting an eye.

Elrohir held the cauldron out to his sister and she took it with a thankful smile.

"I can set it up if you would like." Elrohir offered as he dropped back to the floor and continued to nestle the containers in the basket.

"Thank you, but I can manage. All I needed was help with the pot." She said and turned to the shelves herself to find a few bundles of dried Athelas.

The elves gathered what they needed without further discussion. When they had everything packed to walk out, they made for the main healing wing and exited through the large doors. The pair walked back toward the housing wing of the palace wordlessly until Arwen brought up conversation.

"Elrohir… What is going on with you and Tauriel?" She asked.

Elrohir's eyes went a little wide at being asked about this and his head drifted down to look at the basket he was holding between his hands. "What do you mean?"

"I know what happened. Elladan told me-"

"Oh I bet he did..." Elrohir mumbled. He felt a slight shock at hearing this, but it wore off quickly. He wouldn't put it past his brother to do that. "It seems to be his new thing now… uttering everyone's business and ruining-"

"'Ro. Peace, please. He is worried about you."

"No he is not!" he incredulously shot back. "He is only worried about himself and how his name will be kept clear of my, so called, _*errors_*."

"I am worried for you as well." Arwen said to try and take Elladan out of the equation. She knew her eldest brother was concerned for Elrohir, but it was evident Elrohir did not want to hear anything involving Elladan right now.

"Why?"

"I know you were falling for Tauriel. When she turned you away, I saw how heartbroken you were. Anytime anyone even mentioned her name or you caught sight of her, a cloud seemed to hang over you."

Elrohir kept his eyes firmly on the basket in his arms. He didn't know where Arwen was going with this.

"And?"

"And… well, Tauriel did confess that she was not interested, did she not?... Wasn't she was very clear?"

Elrohir just gave an indifferent shrug.

"I am not trying to lecture you Elrohir, but do you not think it wise to keep your distance from her?"

Elrohir halted his steps and Arwen abruptly did the same to stay back with him.

"It is not like I sought her out this evening with the intended purpose of trying to win her heart over." Elrohir defended his actions.

"Really..." Thought it was a question asking for proof, Arwen's single word seemed to border a remark of disbelief. "So you wanted to ease her troubles as Elladan?… To take his person and claim it for yourself…. for what reason?"

Elrohir looked back down the hall. He hated it when Arwen could pin-point emotions in another.

"So she would not have reason to run from me." he nearly whispered. "Getting her attentions was not my original goal…"

"But it is your goal now." It was not a question as Arwen was only to keen on what was going on. "You still want her." Arwen observed and made the statement soft to encourage her bother to admit it and not cover it up. The elf gave off a shallow nod as he exhaled deeply.

"So?" his word, though deflated, was still intransigent. His feelings for Tauriel were his own and he did not care if others thought he needed to give up on her. "I do not want to let her slip away from me. I cannot let her go until I have tried everything to win her over. I have never understood when people said love is worth fighting for, but… I get it now. I know what that means - what that feels like -... I cannot give in."

"But the more you attach to her, the harder it will be down the road to let go when it does not work out… Elrohir... It will not work out! She already told you how she felt." Arwen was trying with earnest to get her brother to listen to her words. Elrohir was just spinning in circles over this and it was proving to be difficult to get him off his track.

"How do you know it will not work out? Besides, you speak to me of letting go when you have disregarded that exact same advice when it came to Estel." Elrohir looked back to his sister, but he was not exactly upset as his words would make him out to be. "And how did it turn out in the end? Hum?"

"There *_was_* a chance with Estel." Arwen said. "Both of our hearts were committed to each other from the very start."

"My heart is committed to hers."

"But hers is not with you. She-told-you-that." Arwen punctuated.

"She may just need time."

It was Arwen's turn to let out a sigh and she reflected back over the course of the past few days. She looked like she wanted to say something, yet she kept her mouth closed.

"What?" Elladan asked her.

Arwen turned her eyes to him and there was a touch of remorse in her the depths of her silvery blue eyes.

"You are trying to climb an icy slope. I know you do not want to, but you need to let her go."

"Arwen.. I-"

"I had a vision, Elrohir." She cut him off. He needed to hear this so his heart could move on. "Several nights ago, a few hours after you and Tauriel parted ways."

Elrohir's heart lurched in his chest. There was a sudden excitement over hearing of this, but Arwen did not look exactly pleased. His excitement was turning into trepidation.

"What was it?" he asked with mounting dread. Arwen's brows furrowed and she gave a small shake of her head.

"She is not supposed to end up with you." the queen whispered.

"What do you mean?" Elrohir pulled back from the news as if he could avoid hearing it, but it was too late. "How can you be sure? We have been taught all along to take caution to visions, for they do not always come to pass! They could be completely false!" Elrohir was trying so hard to shoot the idea down as he did not want to accept there was no hope.

"It… it felt right - almost too real to not be accurate… I know visions are hard to judge and should not always be headed, but this one…" Arwen let her voice dissolve as the direction of her words spoke the silent statement for her

"What was your vision?" He dared to ask for the specifics of his sister's foresight. If it was plausible then perhaps he could say Arwen was right, but if it was too chancy with reality...

"Her heart…. will seek it's counter in someone else."

Elrohir looked off as his disappointment turned into bitter jealously. "Who?"

Arwen almost began to plead with him so she did not have to make things any more difficult for anyone. Legolas was already on stress overload and needed everyone's support. She knew Elrohir would start to distance himself from the prince should he know about Arwen's vision and who was involved.

Arwen did not speak and Elrohir began to grow impatient. He turned back to his sister to get an answer. The two stood there waiting each other out.

"Do not cover it up, Arwen. I know you have seen who it is. Who was it."

The determination in Elrohir's face was hard to witness. Her brother needed to know despite the hurt it would cause him.

"Legolas." Arwen confessed slowly.

"What…" Elrohir's face was surprisingly blank and for a moment and Arwen was unsure if he even understood whom she was referring to.

It took a few seconds for Elrohir's face to hold any type of emotion. But when it did change, Arwen was perplexed to find her brother's face tightening with humored disbelief.

"No!..." Elrohir let out a chuckle in relief. "No, no... see, I spoke with Legolas on the matter. I know he has known Tauriel for some time and they are very close friends. But I specifically asked Legolas that myself out of respect to him. He told me there was nothing between the two of them... nor would there be. They were just friends - are friends -… In fact, he encouraged me to pursue her! He said I should!" the relief in Elrohir's face was hard to observe.

Elrohir's statement brought on a touch of doubt to her vision. Arwen was so sure of what she saw that night. "I do not know what to tell you…. I know what I saw and how I felt... There was a child, Elrohir - a son."

Elrohir sobered slightly but his remark countered what Arwen just spoke.

"A child?..." He inquired and Arwen nodded. "You think after all Legolas has been through, he would engage in…. in that?" The unspoken deed was picked up by Arwen and she placed a hand on her hip while defending their friend.

"Legolas is not ruined, Elrohir." Arwen spoke a bit tersely and used his very name to scold him. Elrohir brought a hand up to pinch his temples. That was not at all what he meant. He shook his head as he tried to make amends with his statement, but Arwen pressed on. "Besides, what I saw will not transpire right away, perhaps not even here in Middle Earth."

"Or even at all." Elrohir added. "It must be wrong, Arwen. What you saw makes no sense." Elrohir convincingly smiled.

"And you pursuing someone who has told you the truth in how they felt about you, makes more sense?... Ro… Don't..."

"Don't what?" Elrohir did not know what his sister was asking but he did not like it. Arwen stepped closer to her brother and looked deeply into his eyes.

"You know what I have said, for I saw something that I cannot deny. I still cannot deny it."

"And I cannot deny myself a chance with Tauriel." Elrohir said back. "I cannot just give up what my heart wants. You know the feeling Arwen... I cannot do it."

"And what of Tauriel's words?"

"I just need to speak with her and all she may need is time. At that time, if *_she_* tells me no, then so be it.-"

"She already has."

"I have barely spoken with her since she ran off. There was a lot that took place that night and perhaps I misjudged my timing or setting. There could still be a chance so I will not give up. Not yet and especially not because others tell me to out of their observations. I appreciate your concern for me… and though I cannot believe I am uttering this at this moment, I *_can_* appreciate Elladan and his worries for me as well. But this is my doing and I need to do what my heart tells me, else I will not be at peace with a decision to stand back and watch her from afar."

"You are going to end up pushing her further away, and yourself further down Elrohir." Arwen said. She shook her head in disappointment and began to walk once more, leaving her brother standing in the hall. The queen only took a few paces and then turned back to find her brother watching her go. "You have every right to do as your heart tells you. I understand that. I dare say I understand that better anyone in Middle Earth. I want to wish you the best, but you are setting yourself up for disaster. I do not want to see yourself succumb to that."

"And that is what we all thought when you fell for Estel." Elrohir came forward and shifted the basket so he was holding it with one hand against his hip and the other one he placed on his sister's shoulder. "I want to follow my heart. You and 'Dan have prepared me for the worst and I am ready to take it, but I want to believe there is hope for our hearts to connect."

Elrohir pulled his little sister in for a hug of reassurance and Arwen buried her face into his tunic.

"Please be careful 'Ro."

"Oh Arwen, when am I never careful?"

Arwen pulled back from her brother's embrace. That statement threw all caution to the wind as she knew her brothers and their penchant for falling into some clumsy adventure or ill thought out pranks.

"Do not answer that Arwen." Elrohir sighed with a light smirk. "But do not have so little faith in me. All will be well regardless of the outcome, alright?" Elrohir reached out with his free hand and took the boiling kettle from his sister and began to escort her down the hall to the royal bedrooms. "Come, I'll help you get this set up."

"Should you not try and right your wrongs with Tauriel?"

Elrohir's face became tainted briefly but he smiled again to his sister. "Later. I would see to my favorite nephew first and help him if I can."

"Your only nephew." Arwen added, this time the light musical laughter entered her voice.

"Which is why he is my favorite!"


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

* * *

Elrohir accompanied Arwen to the royal bedrooms where the sound of baying drenched the chambers. Eldarion was beyond cranky for his cold would not ease and he did the only thing he could to express his discomfort. So far, all attempts to soothe him had failed and the infant was wailing at the top of his lungs out of fevered distress.

Elrohir wasted no time and assisted in setting a boiling pot up for his nephew despite Arwen indicating she was able to do it herself. Athelas was added to the water once it was boiling and the clean aroma began to work its magic over the room. Elrohir gathered the teary eyed child into his embrace and the elf did his best to coddle the fussy babe while Arwen looked on. It took some time for the herbs to show any signs of working, but soon the child had calmed somewhat as his uncle bounced him lightly within strong arms. It was evident he still did not feel well and he faintly sniffled trying to decide if he felt better or if the stubborn cold symptoms were worth crying over.

Peace finally settled in the nursery and it allowed Arwen and Elrohir to talk lightly for a time. Neither wanted to go near the subject of Tauriel and Legolas at the moment, especially since the young one was within their presence. Of course Eldarion could not understand what they could be talking about, but heavy feelings and disappointed thoughts would surely be picked up by him. In his current unwell condition, that would prove to be a poor choice.

As the hour wore on, Eldarion was beginning to succumb to sleep. His tiny head began to nod and came to rest on his uncle's shoulders. Arwen stepped in and took her son from Elrohir and after she bid her brother good night, she set about tucking the child into bed.

Elrohir gathered his belongings and left the rooms. The only sound he made was the slight click of the door when it was pulled carefully shut. Once in the hall, the elf evaluated his limited options in where to venture to next, but did not have his heart set on any destination in particular. He wanted to check on Aragorn to see how he was doing, but he did not feel ready to face his twin just yet. Surely there was a gathering elsewhere in the palace and he could easily go find Gimli, Faramir, Éomer or any other acquaintance to go spend some time with. However, it felt as though a stone had been placed in his heart after talking with Arwen and he knew he needed to face Tauriel first. He owed it to her.

With heavy steps, the elf began to make his way towards the guest chambers not far away.

He stopped at his rooms to deposit the herb collection he obtained not long ago and while there, he took time to check his appearance. He wanted to look his best before Tauriel and secretly hoped the well maintained sight of himself would aid his attempts to gain her forgiveness. He knew looks alone would never suffice in winning her over, but he could not think of a time where people had been disgusted with another because they looked presentable. He would use every opportunity he could find to be a better version of himself.

His clothing was fresh since he changed upon his return to the palace only a few hours prior, but he took notice of his boots and the scuff marks on them. It had been a while since he had last cleaned and oiled them so he set about caring for his footwear.

He dug through his closet to grab a bottle of leather oil and a small cloth and sat on the hearth of the unlit fireplace. He worked the grease into the elven boots using only the pure shimmer of the stars to light his efforts. Soon, he had buffed away the unsightly marks and the dark brown leather had a polished shine to them. The elf then made his way to the bathing room to wash his hands.

After clearing away the thick matter that oozed onto his fingers, he quickly lit the oil lamp so he could wash his face and further his freshening up. He splashed some water on his cheeks and rubbed them briskly to remove any trace of daily grime, then reached for a towel to dry off.

That done, he turned to make for the door, but his feet felt heavy and he was reluctant to leave the small confining room. For some odd reason, he just did not feel right. He gave pause, knowing he was hesitant to face the potential storm that could develop out of his actions of deceit. He wished there was a better way to go about speaking with Tauriel.

What would he say?

How would he say it?

Should he play it off with smiles and jokes to offset her anger?

Or should he be calm and diplomatic?

He looked about the bleak stone room to try and find inspiration on an approach tactic, but the lacking chambers provided nothing but the blank stone walls, leaving him to his own devices.

As he looked about, he caught sight of himself in the mirror that was suspended on the wall over the sink. Staring back through the silver glass that painted a picture of his image was none other than himself. He took deep breath to try and calm the nervousness that began to filter through his being.

Elrohir knew he needed to prepare himself and come up with a thorough plan of action. He took another deep breath and began to work his wording in his head.

**_Hi Tauriel... I... came to see you about..._** He began to think but did not like how it started. He looked too unhappy and the elf pushed his lips into an easy smile before trying again.

**_Hello Tauriel…_** he stopped suddenly and corrected himself.

**_Hello *Lady* Tauriel-_** But no that was not much better… He put his hand to his heart and pulled it down to sweep out in front of him in formal elvish greeting, watching as his reflection did the same. He repeated the motion as he resumed thinking his words.

**_Hello my Lady Tauriel-_** But no... he shook his head to himself. Despite the politeness of the statement he decided it was better not to use the term 'my' for the time being. He wanted to be hopeful for his own self interests, but it oddly felt disrespectful right now.

**_Get it together Elrohir… you have addressed courts of the highest nobles and most powerful lords many times before and yet your nerves are rattled by one elf?_** he said to himself and he once again straightened himself and pressed his hand to his heart to begin all over. He spoke slowly to himself, picking his words carefully as he said them in his head.

**_Good evening Lady Tauriel._** That was better….

But now what?

Elrohir blanked on his next words and all he seemed to be able to focus on was his appearance that suddenly did not look fitting. He altered his stance and held his chin a little higher, but there was still something lacking. He added a slight puff to his chest as his spine aligned to look more regal, strong, and illustrious.

"Good evening Lady Tauriel." He said out loud as he swept his hand out once more, making his voice smooth and confident. "I would speak with you if you have a moment for I….. for I…." He began to snap his fingers, thinking fast to come up with his reasoning while trying to find the right wording to make his actions seem less harsh.

"...For I want to give you the truth straight from myself and not have you take my brother's words who lacked an explanation." He paused and thought over what he just said… Yes that was a good start and it helped place some of the blame back on Elladan.

He held his own gaze, but soon he found his even expression dissolved into disappointment. He let his proud chest and shoulders fall as he took in the sight of himself. His appearance was just not right but he could not quite place what was off. His clothing was fine-

Elrohir suddenly wrinkled his nose in disgust as he looked at the shirt we had on. He was still wearing his brother's shirt. He left the bathroom immediately and as he walked, he unclasped his top so he could replace it with his own. The garment he chose was similarly fashioned, but the major difference was it was his, not Elladan's. Elrohir returned to the bathroom where he slid his arms though the sleeves and evaluated his image while he worked the catches closed.

Now his hair did not look right...

He supposed he was just picking at every little thing and would most likely never be satisfied with how he looked at the moment. His nerves and apprehension left him restless and the need to move and mend things with Tauriel fixated into his desire to repair his slightly offset mien.

The longer he toiled about, he was starting to feel like he had better luck with restoring his flawless, noble semblance.

Regardless, he still had not finished working out all he wanted to say so he gave into his fidgetiness and pulled out a drawer that was embedded in the sink. The elf rummaged around until he found his comb and he began to brush his rich dark hair to smooth its appearance.

He needed to get back on topic.

His mind wandered and worked over phrasing as he detangled his hair. He sewed his previous thoughts together and added more explanation to his formulated apology.

"You already know of the identity switch that I regretfully lied about," his tone grew quiet after that. Should he say that? Should he outright admit to the lie?

"...but... I did not mean any ill will with it, nor did I ever want to hurt you... It was a foolish act... and I will take on all responsibility for my actions." He thought about what he just said, making sure he used just the right verbiage. In his mind that was a respectable apology, but it failed to offer a deeper explanation while demonstrating how sorry he felt. It just felt too formal.

His comb finally ran free through his hair and the Noldor-elf quickly decided to pull it all back into a single ponytail to keep it from his face. He started to gather his hair behind his head and worked out any rogue bumps.

"but… I just… I just wanted to speak with you…" he tacked on to his previous sentence to open more room for thought. He turned his head to the side and looked over his hair as a single thick rope of dark, raven locks fell down his back.

He scowled.

He did not like the way that looked and the elf quickly pulled his hair free to start all over. Perhaps it should be left down? He smoothed his hair out and looked at himself from all angles, first with his hair cascading down his back, then with a portion of it over his shoulders, but still, he did not like it.

"Now I think I finally understand Arwen and her penchant for taking a long time to get ready… Though I cannot believe this is part of her routine... this is becoming most ridiculous..." He mumbled as he began to section off strands of hair to start the tedious task of looping his hair into the formal customary ringlets the elves of Rivendell were known for. As his fingers skillfully worked, he devised more speech while he leaned on the sink and continued to speak to himself in the mirror.

"Tauriel, you were upset. Despite how you feel about me, I cannot deny that I have feelings for you and I could not stand to see you troubled. I know... that this seems very forward -" his speech was interrupted with his own sigh. No, no… he should not say that. He wanted to, but…. no. He scratched that thought.

"You were upset and… I could not leave you there, crying outside of Legolas' room-"

Then it hit him and he fell silent and still while his heart pounded in his chest. All he did was stare back at his own wide eyed expression while a thought began to pepper in through his logic.

Legolas and Tauriel?

Each second that ticked by made his heart get heavier and heavier until he pulled himself from that thought. It could not be, he told himself. Legolas said there was nothing between them.

Elrohir thought back to his conversation with the Woodland prince and Legolas' words instantly came to mind, helping the Noldor's case.

**"_You do not need my permission…. Tauriel and I are only friends… Though I think Gimli has a better chance at winning her heart than you do… but __you should seek her. You two would get along._"**

Legolas would not have lied about *_that_*, would he? What reason would he have to do so?

No… Legolas was adamant that he and Tauriel were not linked in any heartfelt way. Why would the prince convince him to take away his own heart's joy? That did not make a bit of sense and Elrohir shook his head to clear the thought from his mind and he went back to work on his hair.

"You were upset and I could not find it in me to abandon you to your crying outside of Legolas' room. You thought I was Elladan and seemed hopeful that I was. I did not wish to disappoint you further. Had you known it was me, the real me - Elrohir - can you honestly say the encounter would not be awkward? I wanted you to feel comfortable and at ease, for you were already distressed."

He tied off the last loop and again sighted on his hair.

"Oh, this will not do!" he wailed and he began to yank the beautiful hair design out. He better just stick with his normal hair style and tie the crown off with a braid.

"I will leave you to choose what you will with my apology, but I just wanted to deliver it and let you know that I honestly meant no harm by actions. Perhaps you can find it in your heart the desire to forgive me, but if not, I truly am sorry."

He pulled the cuffs of his sleeves to get them to sit better and he passed a hand down the front of his tunic to burnish the silken shirt and remove any trace of crinkle. He did a last pass through the loose ends of his hair with a comb before he stepped a pace back and scrutinized every aspect of himself in the reflective glass.

He once again held his chin up and smiled kindly.

**_Do not forget to smile._** he reminded himself. With a nod to the mirror for encouragement and one last deep breath for reassurance, he blew the oil lamp out and left his rooms.

He found himself once again walking down the bare white hallways of the palace and the austere walls and floors gave him all the freedoms to run over his apology once more. He rehearsed the lines quickly, making sure he would not forget a single aspect to the atonement he was about to deliver.

He made his way easily to Tauriel's quarters and stepped before the thick wooden doors. He raised his fist to knock, but could not bring himself to face this just yet. His knuckles rested softly on the wood as he dug deep within to summon up to courage to proceed.

**_Just get on with it._** he mentally kicked himself in motion and he pulled his hand back so he could tap.

Just as his fingers were getting ready to rap on the wooden panel, the door opened suddenly and Elrohir pulled his hand back in surprise. Tauriel pulled the door agape and stiffened at the unexpected sight of him. She had reverted back to her old torn clothing, but the thick cloak Legolas had given to her was pulled tightly around the nape of her neck. The material fell in a torrent of velvety brown folds down her back that was partially covered by her hair. Her weapon's belt was wrapped around her waist and the single handle of a lone knife was visible in one of the two holsters. Only the tip of the handle was visible due to the overstuffed quiver that was placed over top of it and was suspended at her hip. Her bow was worn over one shoulder and the string created a thin line across her chest while the wooden frame rested across her back.

Tauriel simply gave a burning stare to Elrohir…. or was it Elladan?… Despite who it was, she did not care and her glare only deepened into a smoldering hateful fix. The wood-elf had nothing to say to him or his brother and her eyes became slits of burning anger as she made to step by him without any acknowledgement.

Elrohir was absolutely petrified.

He could not move out of her way and when she couldn't get past him, she set her shoulder and allowed it to bump him in passing, letting her aggression show through.

The shock in Elrohir wore off in the contact and he scrambled to come up with speech as his well rehearsed apology had now been forgotten. This was not how he expected to start out.

"Tauriel, w-wait!" He called out and took several large steps to catch up to her as she marched down the halls. "Please!"

But she would not listen to him. She ignored his calls and calmly walked on her destined path. Her petite posture was unyielding, showing she was strong and determined.

"Tauriel… Tauriel… My Lady, please! I wish to tell you-"

"You can keep whatever thoughts and words to yourself." She did not even look back to him, but projected her stern voice so he could her as she continued to move forward. "I have no need to hear them, nor do I ever wish to hear a single word that escapes your black tongue, orc." Her words were smooth and even, but cold and saturated in disdain.

Elrohir faltered in his steps. Elladan was not kidding when he said she was not happy.

"Tauriel, please. It is not what you think-"

Tauriel whirled around and bore daggers into the Noldor elf that followed her.

"It is *_exactly_* what I think." Tauriel countered him with a stony face and Elrohir took a cautious step back. "You lied to me-"

"So I could talk to you-"

"As someone else?!... What were you looking to gain from that? What advantage did you want to take away from me by doing such a thing?"

"Taking advantage was not at all -"

"Spare me your words and save your breath for someone who cares enough to listen to you, or your pathetic brother." She clenched her jaw following her bitter words and she turned, slowly, yet boldly to showcase her disposition that she was leaving on her own terms and not retreating as a coward.

"Tauriel, wait, where are you going?"

The red mane of hair turned to look over her shoulder and she gave a snapped reply. "It is my own affair and I mean to keep you out of it."

Elrohir was watching his opportunity slip away before him and he panicked. He was being taken all wrong and after she refused to listen or give him a chance to even speak, he felt a spark of defiance shoot through him. If she were to be mad at him so be it, but he expected he would have been able to explain what had happened for a full understanding to lead to judgment.

"Tauriel." he demanded, but she refused to heed him and the elf went after her. "Listen, I know you are upset-" he began, however the sincerity of his words were gone. "And I wouldn't blame you, but …. - for the love of Eärendil - will you just listen to me for one second?!"

The elf reached out and grabbed Tauriel's upper arm to halt her, but within a split second, Elrohir heard a sharp ping then found himself a hostage in Tauriel's grasp. Cold metal was being held at his throat and it was being anchored firmly by Tauriel's grasp.

Her former battle instincts went off when Elrohir grabbed her and she spun quickly keep herself in a dominant position. In a single graceful move, she stepped closer to her assailant while simultaneously pulling her broken blade free of his scabbard. Her other hand moved faster than lightening to the back of Elrohir's head and found a massive hold within his thick loose hair, gripping it at the scalp for more leverage. She pulled down hard, causing the tall elf to bend backwards while her snapped-off dagger was pressed to his jugular.

It did not matter if the battle knife was defective; she was resourceful enough to make it lethal and she applied a little pressure to the ragged edges of snapped metal to get her point across. She moved behind Elrohir and pulled him further down so he was almost leaning on her shoulder and had very little control of his range of movement.

Elrohir kept his chin up to try and ease the pressure on his neck. He did not struggle and kept still to prevent an accidental cut that could prove to be fatal.

"I told you to save your foul words." Tauriel's once fresh and musical voice was dark and laced with venom as she growled into the ear that was close to her shoulder. "I have been deceived many times in my life, but what you did was beyond cruel. I acted true around everyone. I honestly felt bad for breaking Elrohir's heart and the way I handled it that night was unacceptable… but he and his brother broke my trust and I foolishly opened up to the wrong person. Words that were not meant for Elrohir were uttered to him."

"Tari- *_Ah_!*" Elrohir began to say, but the she-elf pulled a little harder on his hair and he hissed in pain, cutting off what he had to say.

"I care not who you are; whether you are Elladan, or Elrohir my warning is the same either way. Stay away from me."

"Please! Just let me explain!" Elrohir blurted out fast.

"I do not care about the reasons you have to justify what you did. A lie is a lie no matter how you look at it... Save your fabrications and trickery for the next person. It will serve you no purpose with me. I pray the next person you deceive is not hurt the same way as I. Better yet, think twice before you do this to another."

The hold on Elrohir's hair intensified as Tauriel gave it a strong yank back, throwing the bowed elf off balance and sending him towards the floor. She soundlessly took off and bolted down the hall without Elrohir ever getting a glimpse of her retreat. To keep her path hidden, Tauriel made the very first turn down a new hallway, followed by the next to throw Elrohir off her trail and allowing her to retreat from sight.

Elrohir sat up as fast as he could and his steel-gray eyes scanned the corridor. He looked first one way, then the next to try and locate Tauriel. When his eyes gave no visual of her, he painstakingly listened to every sound the stone walkway had to offer. The only thing he could hear was the thumping of his disappointed heart.

He had no idea where Tauriel had gone to nor what her intentions were. He remained sitting on the floor contemplating his next move while he rubbed his neck to distract his nerves from the dangerous feel of nearly being impaled. He wanted nothing more than to give chase and attempt to make things right, but had no desire to have a knife at his throat again.

Reluctantly, Elrohir gave up and he let Tauriel slip away. He rose slowly to his feet and brushed himself off. Numbly, he made for his rooms.


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

* * *

Tauriel had no idea where she was.

She walked with a halted cadence and she looked about the plain interior to try and find some spark of recognition in her whereabouts. She had been trying to find her way out of the palace for the better part of the hour, but the longer she walked, the more disoriented she became. She could have sworn she had been down this corridor before, but then again, she thought that about the previous hallway, and even the one before that. There were no defining structures around her to help determine if she was retracing a previous path or not; There was no art on the walls, no statues to commemorate a memory, nor doors or windows to lead to another place. Tauriel was becoming highly frustrated.

All she wanted to do at this point was leave. She had no reason to stay in this city if so called friends pushed her away or humiliated her with their tricks. She came a long way in hopes of finding a new place to live without the lonely isolation of being discriminated against, but this place was not all that much different and she felt terribly let down. This was not how she wanted to live, nor the life she hoped to carve out for herself.

She thought over a place to go from here, but nothing jumped out to her as a best choice. Legolas had confirmed that Mirkwood truly was vacant; the wood-elves either followed their king and sailed a few years ago, or they kept with their prince and moved to the northern forests of Ithilien. She supposed she could head back to the empty forests that she once called home. She could wander the legendary forests and claim a space for herself to live in peace without the threat of giant spiders or vile orcs.

And she would be there completely alone.

Tauriel's steps faltered when that notion stuck to her head. She did not want to be alone.

Perhaps Dale was a better choice? It was at least familiar to her and she knew her place in the mortal society. She could fall back into her old routines of walking as an accepted outcast; one who was not run off, but was not welcomed with open arms, allowed to participate in the community without actually being a true part of it. Dale was at least a somewhat social environment to the rejected elf and it stimulated the deep seated need to be among others rather than completely isolated in the harsh wilds. Dale was a reluctant choice to turn to, but the thought of something familiar gave her a small piece of comfort. At least people in Dale did not trick her and she knew her standings with everyone.

And that was a horribly twisted thought. She had left that city to escape the discrimination she faced as an elf who was cast away from her own society. She came to Minas Tirith for a new lease on life, but was only given a plethora of false hopes. Now she was willing to go back to her former misery in order to escape a new one.

**_Minas Tirith really was too good to be true._** she thought to herself.

The second she turned on Elrohir, she knew she had made a grave mistake, but her fury and anger drove her actions. While in the heat of the moment, she had no desire to stop her dark warning, but now she regretted it fully. She could not believe that she threatened higher authority... Again.

Her mind recalled the last time it occurred. The same anger and desperation to change the situation caused her to snap and her bold nature was intensified. Thranduil had been as gracious as he could after her attempted blackmail with his life. Her own should have been taken for such actions and to this very day, she could not understand why the Elf King did not follow through on the suitable and expected punishment for her crime.

However, she had never heard of any instance where Thranduil sentenced another to death. Imprisonment and banishment was usually preferred for any major wrongdoings among their kind and any titles or honor would be stripped from the individual. She had never heard of death being handed out, even though it was a punishment one could merit.

Then again, how many people had there been that were foolish enough to turn on their king? That certainly was not a normal occurrence among any race, let alone the elves. So how could Thranduil justify pardoning that law and letting her keep her life when she herself threatened to take his?

Perhaps because she grew up under his nose? The king had watched her grow from an elfling to a formidable warrior. He even favored her to be captain of the Mirkwood Guards despite his reluctance to allow her to fight. The relationship between herself and the Woodland king had always been professional, but perhaps the king had a small spec of desire to keep her from harm, just as he had since he brought her to the palace when her parents died to save Thranduil's life. Maybe his heart could not dictate that punishment to her?

At the time she threatened the king, she had already been banished… Perhaps the punishment that was warranted for her actions could not be carried out since she was no longer a member of their society?

Or… Maybe Thranduil could not do that to his son? She knew Thranduil had knowledge of his son's feelings towards her. Perhaps he spared her to save his one and only child from the devastation her death would cause to Legolas' heart?

Or mayhap it was to keep Thranduil himself clear of any crimes. Surely he did not want to be known as a kinslaying king in spite of her felony.

Her mind was swimming among all the possibilities when light tears began to well up in her spring-green orbs. She gulped and swiped the tears away to clear the blurry world that was skewed by the rise of the salty droplets.

How could she have done that? How could she have threatened her own king and let it trickle down the Noldor Lord? How could she have fallen for a dwarf so hard and so fast that within a matter of days she turned on her own people to take sides with him? She didn't know Kili, and yet her heart fixated on the stout, dark-haired archer.

Back then, so many years ago, Thranduil showed her mercy, if it could be called that. Their encounter was brief after the battles that took place between five fighting forces ceased. As she grieved over her slain love, the Woodland King took one last look upon his most trusted guard, then walked away and left her to her own fate; separated from her own people, shattered and broken.

And now?…. She shuddered again.

Mentally, she was back on Raven Hill… There were too many similarities between now and that fateful day. Tonight mirrored what happened seventy years ago; Legolas offered her his support, but walked away from her with tears in his eyes once more. Both times he was crushed by an overwhelming grief, although she did not understand the prince's woes this time. Once more, she was heading off into the unknown, leaving no trace of her presence to hide her brash actions that were produced by the outcome of love.

However, she did *_not_* love Elrohir. It was the other way around. It was *_his_* love that wrecked this, not her's.

With an inaudible sigh, Tauriel pulled the cloak over her shoulders to hide behind the soft materials. She did not know Elrohir very well, nor his brother and that had her a bit on edge. Vengeance was a typical trait of higher power and she was certain she would be forced to pay for her actions. After all, Elrohir's mortal brother was the king of this labyrinth-of-a-kingdom and she was sure all it would take was a pleading call to the emperor have her met an end after her brazen assault on the noble elf. Aragorn had demonstrated he was a kind adan**, but she just proved she could be a threat. (**elvish for 'male human')

Tauriel cringed. She should have learned from her last assault to have better self control.

She came to an intersecting hallway and paused just before the new turn. She held her breath and listened to the air, trying to detect the presence of another. She could not hear much past the faint sizzling that emanated from the closest sconce as the candles within the perch sucked up the air to fuel their energy. Only her sensitive hearing allowed her to pick up the candle's sound. She looked behind herself to make sure she was still alone and the muted voice of the large tapers had not covered up the approach of another.

The flames from the candles cast an eerie luminescence within their range while dozens of other fixtures lined the hall, lighting the way in a pattern of soft light between fits of darkness. No one was behind her and she heard no one in the next hall. Tauriel dared to take her investigations further. She drew herself close to the wall and ducked under the candelabrum to slowly peer around the corner while keeping her appearance minimal. Though her hearing was sharp, she knew she could not rely on that alone as she was not the only elf within this palace. Just because she could not hear someone, did not mean they were not in the next hall.

Her peeking glance uncovered no one and she became a little bolder. She pushed her face further in the aisle to find it void. She checked both ways to make sure the coast was clear and the she-elf cautiously stepped out to stand in the new hallway.

Tauriel looked to the left and noted a darkened, rounded bend a small distance away, leading the path on a curvature route. To the right, the hallway stretched on for what seemed like forever before it either stopped, or was intercepted by another juncture.

Tauriel stood in place looking one way then the other trying to persuade herself to chose a path, but could not drum up the courage to make her choice. She needed to find her way to an exterior door so she could locate the palace gates. To her knowledge, that was the only way to get out of here for it seemed to be the only way in.

Her unfamiliarity with her current position within the kingdom left all options doubtful so she picked a path without any judgment. Tauriel took a step to the left, intending to make for the bend, but after a step or two, she instantly backpedaled. It suddenly dawned on her that it would be safer to walk a path where she could see well ahead of herself. She did not want to run into a single soul and so far her track had not failed in that wish. She backtracked and took the path to the right.

Her unease began to build and her nervousness and frustrations gave her cause to worry. She glanced over her shoulder once more to make sure she was alone in the hall and then picked up her pace to get to the distant end.

Again, she was met with an intersection of a new hall and both ways looked identical to one another. In fact, it looked like the rest of this god-forsaken, white washed tomb. Tauriel picked her path blindly and walked on.

The hallways began to take on a different feel and Tauriel began to look about in wonder. There was nothing different about this hall in appearance and she became confused for a moment until she saw movement ahead and she froze.

The hall was coming to an end and dumped out into yet another hall where a servant dashed across the opening to tend to her matters. She called out to another that was close by and their short conversation echoed in the nearly empty corridor.

"Mariessa?! Is that all?" The servant hollered.

"Yes! I just packed away the broom and mop. Everything is in order for tomorrow's chores to be complete. There is nothing else to do tonight"

"Good." The last word was a little softer, thought it was not trying to be covered up. Tauriel stood stiffly and prayed the maids would kept walking. "We are to get an early start on our duties tomorrow. Anna said there is much to be done yet to keep up with all of the king's guests."

A ripple of panic tore through Tauriel when the maids turned the corner and headed straight for her. They were busy with their conversation and spoke casually to one another as they walked. They giggled from time to time as they gossiped quietly between themselves and as they got closer to the elf standing before them, their voices dipped even lower.

Tauriel clumsily moved forward and pulled the cloak about her to conceal her weapons. She kept her sights down as the two women came closer, but she kept herself alert. Just because they were maids did not mean they could not raise an alarm.

The maids nodded their heads in acknowledgement of the elf, but they were unfazed by Tauriel's presence. Once they had walked past each other, the duo began to talk and laugh quietly again, keeping their buzz low.

Tauriel let out her breath and it was only then that she realized she was holding it. Her eyes closed dramatically after the close call, but she did not halt. She was walking a thin line right now and time was closing in. If she did not get out of the palace soon, she was sure her luck would run out before she was apprehended. She made for the entry of the new hall and did as she had previously to check the hall for any patrons before she stepped out to have a better look.

Relief zinged through the elf. She recognized the hall she stood in for this was a well walked path during her short stay here. The smells of soapy water and residual cooking odors indicated that she was not far from the dining hall and kitchens and Tauriel knew she was on the right path to head out of here. She took the familiar route and began a search for an exit. It only took her a matter of moments before a side door was located and she made her escape into the cold moonlight.

She descended a small flight of stone landings while taking particular notice of the area. A few unnamed buildings stood within the moon's glow and the soft light made the white stone seem unusually bright for the dark hours. Any place that could not be seen by the moon remained in a thick state of nightly overcast. The remnants of the season's first snow stuck to the crevices near the buildings and left an icy mess about the walkways. The staff had cleared a majority of the snow away when the precipitation first fell, but the day's sun caused the soft powder to turn wet and dense while seeping water among the cobblestone that refroze in chilled night.

Tauriel glanced at the sky, checking the position of the full moon to get a better sense of direction. If she recalled correctly, she needed to head to the east to find the gates and she needed to do so quickly. If this palace kept to any of her known accordances, the gate would be closing for the night, if they had not closed already.

Tauriel flipped the hood of her cloak over head to keep herself mostly out of sight. She thought to rely heavily on the shadows to cover her escape, but as an elf, she would stand out in the darkness for the light that flowed through all elves would only be intensified due to the moon's brilliance. She took a quick check of her appearance to make sure her form was covered as best the cloak cold, then continued on.

She had traveled only a few steps when she walked through an unusual fine fog. Her nostrils caught the scent of a familiar odor within the translucent screen and she became wary of her surroundings. She knew someone was close by having a smoke of pipeweed and the elf decided not to tarry.

Her rush stalled and her blood surged in dread when a gruff voice shattered the silence and caused her to jump.

"An' what might ya' be doin' out here at this hour, M'lady?" The recognizable voice piped up from the shadows close to the palace and the elf did not need to turn to know who it was.

Gimli sat quietly on a stone bench taking advantage of a few quiet, albeit cold, moments to himself and he puffed vigorously on his pipe as he watched the scene unfold before him. Tauriel was sneaking off to who knows where and she thought she had been unseen. She was wrong. The dwarf's lips fought a slight smile, pleased that he found a rare opportunity to take an elf by surprise, but he did not gloat over it and kept his accomplishment to himself.

Tauriel did not turn to look at Gimli however and she kept her head high while she talked in front of herself.

"Tis a fine night, is not Master Dwarf?" She tried to drum up some excuse while keeping her response vague.

"Aye. It is. Fine enough ta' enjoy without having ta' sneak about."

The elf dropped her sights and pondered what to say to that. Her tongue traced her teeth absently and she scrambled for her words.

"I am not sneaking." She allowed a smile to take over her voice to try and make her lie convincing. She turned to finally face the stout form who regarded her from the deep veil of darkness. A sudden red glow flared from the bowl of the dwarf's clay pipe, causing the Gimli's features to become vivid in a warm radiance for a few seconds then disappeared as he blew the smoke from his lips and snout.

Gimli rose to his feet without a word and moseyed over to stand beside the elf. He placed the stem of his pipe in his mouth and puffed a few times. The smoke clouded his form from the elf once more who stood looking upon him, but Tauriel looked away quickly as the noxious stench wafted towards her face and she grimaced slightly.

"Looked ta' me like ya' were." The dwarf said offhandedly and took another drag from the tobacco siphon. He eyed Tauriel from the side to check his judgments.

"Your eyes deceive you then." Tauriel said plainly.

"Just because they're not as sharp as an elf's doesn't mean I didn't see what I saw." Gimli looked up to the bundled elf and knew her slim appearance should not be as bulky as it currently was.

"I was only seeking the night and the comfort it offers." She responded softly and she did her best to manage an easy smile. Her nerves were eating at her and she could tell that the smile she cast him looked as awkward as it felt.

"Eehh, you seek th' night with weapons. What comfort do ya' hope to find if ya' must be alert an' armed?" The dwarf asked by means of a conversational comment and he eyed the bow that was slung over her frame. Tauriel's skewed smile turned a little hard.

"I seek comfort with *_belongings_*." She corrected smoothly.

Gimli clamped his pipe between his lips and teeth and used his thick hand to grip the hem of her cloak. He flicked it back fast, exposing the quiver stuffed with arrows and her single blade that was kept tucked at her side. Tauriel moved fast to snatch the cloak back to cover up, though it was useless to try and hide at this point. She blurted out the first excuse her mind could come to, trying her best to suffice the dwarf's questions.

"I had hopes of finding an archery range-"

"At this hour?"

"The time matters not to me. I was trained in fighting techniques during the cover of night. It offers a disadvantage that can sharpen your skill should you overcome it." Tauriel kept a level expression on her face, but on the inside she was beaming with the save she was able to conjure up.

Gimli just raised his brows, skeptically accepting the statement Tauriel offered. He knew from his years of friendship with Legolas and even the Noldor twins that elves kept to odd habits. He was almost used to the strange traits and knew the firstborn race were unfazed by lack of light. The only thing he doubted, however, was the nature in which Tauriel crept about. She was hiding something.

"Well, there're no archery ranges within th' palace grounds. The training areas by Minas Tirith's barracks will have th' only true ranges. But... eehh... some of us have converted th' alley by the stables into a suitable practice area." The dwarf gave a shrugged nod in the direction where the stables could be found. "But if ya' desire ta' move about with weapons, no matter your errand, I would suggest that ya' don't sneak around."

"I was not sneaking."

Gimli ignored her and continued his explanation. "You're far too close ta' many royals. Should ya' be caught actin' as a common crook, you could end up in a word of trouble. When it comes to their beloved king and steward, Gondor's law could charge ya' on speculation alone."

Tauriel pursed her lips. "Then I shall remember that the next time I am sneaking. Thank you Gimli." She said with a slight bow, indicating that she was done talking and used the gesture as the best means of a dismissal.

Gimli said no more but watched her as the elf moved off into the night. He squinted at the retreating form as Tauriel deliberately chose her path and went the opposite direction of the makeshift targets he told her about.

Something was not adding up and Gimli's curiousness and a need for a direct answer tugged at him. The dwarf blew through the pipe to loosen the tightly packed smoking leaf and bent to the ground to tap the pipe clean before placing it in a coat pocket.

The dwarf followed her.

Tauriel moved stealthily and pioneered her way to some narrow paths that would take her on an eastern route. She pressed as far as the retaining wall allowed, then traced its grand structure, hoping to come to the gates. Nothing appeared however and she was beginning to wonder if she had headed in the wrong direction.

Somewhere behind her, she heard a soft tread as a booted foot crunched the crusty wayward snow that spilled out into the street some distance off. She spun around to try and locate the source of the noise. Her keen perception honed in on the person who was just beyond sight. She backed up a few paces to keep herself on track while keeping an eye on her back, not willing to let herself be seen.

The heel of her boot caught on the staggered cobblestone and she tripped herself up. Clumsily, she turned on her heel and took longer strides, quickening her pace to out match the pursuer's chase.

She could hear that the one behind her did the same.

Tauriel's heart lurched. She was so close! All she had to do was get past the gates and she knew she would be free. She had not been stopped yet and she did not intend in letting that happen. There was still a chance she could get out of this. She could still make a run for it.

In a snap decision, she calmly turned down an alley that ran perpendicular to the path that followed the bulwark. There, she tore into a dead run.

The alley was long and dark and the elf dashed down it quickly. Her gait was hectic, but graceful as she outmaneuvered the ice and other hazardous obstacles in her way. She was nearly to the other end when her pursuer spilled into the lane and the thick steps picked up as the person that followed bolted into a run intending to keep up.

Tauriel cut the corner of the road sharply and glanced down the lane only to see in a split second, the silhouette of a stocky figure losing their footing on the ice and crashed to the street with a loud 'ouf!' Through the voice of pain and surprise, an accent could be picked up in the gruff way it was huffed and Tauriel knew who was following her.

Gimli.

Great. Why was he following her? Tauriel's apprehension mixed with annoyance. She did nothing to cause him any anger and yet he stalked her for some unknown reason. She did not pause and continued on for she needed to put distance between herself and Gimli and try to throw him off her tracks in the process.

She took a sporadic rout until she found a rather small building in comparison to the rest of the palace's structures. She took the narrow walk that was placed between it and the adjacent building only to find the back end of the hut to take on the appearance of a shed. A small picketed fence cut off a section of the street, creating a small enclosure that was unusually sloppy with thick imported dirt. The ground was unstable as the moisture from the snow turned the penned area into mud that froze into uneven peaks that wanted to trip up any passerby. She spotted an awning that suck out from the stone wall, casting a shadow when the moon's soft light could not penetrate the tin roofing.

Tauriel braced her palms on a rail post and effortlessly vaulted over the fence. She landed on other side cautiously, and headed for the shadows. She placed only one foot under the canopy when her presence caused an uproar.

A hefty boar started out of his sleep when the elf approached. The domesticated animal was not at all used to nightly visitors and saw the tall cloaked figure as an intruder. The pig was instantly put on the defense and he hefted his sturdy mass to his feet and gave out a shrieking squeal to raise the alarm.

"_Please I come in peace!_" Tauriel said in Sindarin words to try and put the feisty pig at ease, but the hog was too territorial and could not hear the soft elvish over its grunts. He was giving the elf all of his warnings to back off. The pig picked his hooves up one at a time and stomped them in the mud covered stonework while smacking his jowls loudly to assert his dominance. This was the final warning before he was resorted to physical force.

"_Please my friend I need a place to hide for only a few moments!_" But the swine was not going to be kind. He had never encountered an elf before and though he understood the words, he could not seem to acknowledge that this being meant no harm. The pig pushed his head low to commence his charge and a wailing shriek filled the air as the boar lunged for her.

Tauriel had only seconds to react, but it was all the elf needed. Running was out of the question; the pig was much faster than she, but the wood-elf made for a vertical escape and took to the heights. As the pig advanced, she sprung up over its head and used its hefty mass as a springboard. She reached up and barely caught the edges of the tin awning and held on for dear life.

The pig below was frantic as he knew the elf was still in his territory, but he could not reach the creature that was over head. He stormed about in a huffing fury, grunting his disapproval all the while. Tauriel looked down at the pig that was only a few feet beneath her. There was only one way to go, and that was up. She gathered her determination and shifted her grip on the slick tin awning. She pulled her chin up and over the edge, attempting to scale the roofing. She looked about wildly for another grip, but the slanted vault had no other purchase. It was a single slick sheet that offered no easy way up, even for an elf.

She swung a leg up to try and hoist herself upon the roof, but the momentum compromised her grip and her fingers began to slide. She stopped so as not to fall and lowered herself to try and come up with a different option. She could not risk falling and being at the pig's mercy. The boar let out another roar in frustration as the intruder was close but he could not do anything about it. She adjusted her grip but it was proving to be difficult. Her efforts and unease caused her palms to sweat and her fingers kept slipping.

"What's going on out there?!" Someone yelled as a side door to the hut was thrown open. What appeared to be the owner or a palace worker stumbled around the corner. He was dressed in his night clothes but his coat was pulled about himself in a sloppy mess as he had pulled it on in a hurry when the pig went wild. His boots were unlaced and he tripped over them as he battled the slick streets. In one hand, he held the ringed handle of a lantern and he pushed it forward to illuminate the hog pen so he could see.

The man was stunned and he had a hard time making out what he was seeing. The massive hog was pacing in a fit while a mass dangled from the edges of the roof. A thick cloak partially covered the dangling form and skewed his sense of sight.

Tauriel did not move but as the seconds ticked by, the man registered that what he saw was a person.

"Oi!... You! What the?... What are you doing?! Hey!" He hollered and the man reached into the shadows to locate a spaded shovel to defend against the intruder.

Tauriel swung her form to the rafters under the awning and pulled herself up into the covering. From there she stood and lept to the next beam, then the next, efficiently traveling directly under the canopy to make her escape. She looked ahead to note any obstacles and the path she had to take. The rest of the backyard was lined in similar pens and the elf had to pick her path carefully.

"Halt!" The man shouted. As he watched the form travel across the ceiling. The person gained the last bolster before it jumped down to land on the opposite cross rail of the fence and ran along to the thin edge without the slightest hint of difficulty.

Tauriel used the fence as the safety rout she needed and ran across all of the pens, passing sheep who began to bleat as they were roused. The next pen had cows and they lifted their heads and watched as the shadow passed them quickly. Chickens in the next pen over clucked restlessly and scattered about as a rooster cockled and added to the noise.

The farm pens had been cleared and the elf jumped to the stone street, leaving the animal keeper to his shouting and threats as she ran on. The streets passed by in a rushed blur. She spilled out into another road and was taken aback by the grand sight before her.

The massive wooden palace gates.

The extensive doors were closed, though they were not barricaded and they had a slight crack for those inside to monitor any approach from on the outside. There were a handful of guards by the access and they looked up at the disguised form whose rush came to a grinding halt.

Tauriel had not expected to come up the exit at this moment and backpedaled when the guards regarded her. They were a bit unsure what to make of her and the men walked forward as they placed their hands on the pommels of their swords. They were ready to take action.

Tauriel registered the unease of the soldiers and composed herself while she took another step back.

One man stepped forward and took charge of the situation. Evidently he was the leader in the group and everything from his posture, to his manner of dress, marked him as such. Garrison looked to the cloaked figure suspiciously, although not unfriendly. He moved cautiously to keep the tension down but projected his demanding authority all the while.

"Halt! Who goes there?!" He insisted.

"I-I… I am seeking leave of the palace." Tauriel stated with a bow to show respect. Hopefully flattery could help her case.

Garrison looked to his crew as if checking with them before he proceeded. He was given orders by his commanding officer to keep a sharp eye out for suspicious behavior due to a foreign spy who was spotted within the kingdom only a few days prior. He followed orders and kept the gates heavily guarded with extra men, especially at night when a sneak attack to the palace would be likely. He looked the person over, noting the oddities found in the manner of dress. This person was clearly an outsider and was heavily armed.

"I did not ask yet what you wanted, but only a name. Who are you?"

Tauriel had no idea what alarm had been given from her brush with Elrohir and she was hesitant to give a name. She did not know if they were supplied with her identity or not. She did her best to tiptoe around the subject and hoped to weasel her way out.

"I am a guest of King Elessar." Again, her response was vague, yet was even, as she claimed to have dealings with the king. Perhaps they would be intimidated by this information and they would let her be.

Garrison reached behind him while keeping his eyes on the unusual person. He gave a signal and his men moved forward to encircle the elf while their leader continued with his interrogation.

"A guest of the king without a name?" The guard retorted. All around Tauriel, the faint hiss of steel caught in her ears and she looked through the dark cover of her hood to note soldiers were drawing their weapons. "I will ask you again, who are you?"

Tauriel stalled.

"I told you who I was. I am a guest of the king's and I have also stated my purpose and that is to leave, please."

"I have no time for games and riddles." The guard cut off the chase. His protective instincts went off and he did not like the way this person was avoiding direct questions. Safety precautions were set by the king himself to apprehend any person who acted suspiciously. He was not given any notice of a late traveler, and he certainly was not going to let this person get past him if they were up to no good. It was his duty to act in such an accordance.

"Get to the ground!" he ordered. "On your knees and place your hands behind your head." As Garrison barked his order, the men around her pointed their weapons at the elf to cut off any attempt to fight.

Tauriel took a quick glance around and her battle training kicked in. She saw every opportunity within a fraction of a second to take these men on singlehandedly, but she banished that thought. She could not fight; not now. That would not help her case. Besides, she knew she needed to answer to her wrongdoings of Elrohir. Now that she was caught, she could not be a coward and run.

"I said get down!" Garrison ordered harshly when his first request produced no response. Reluctantly, Tauriel held her hands up and placed them on the back of her hooded head. She sank slowly to the ground intending to surrender, but the guards were on edge and thought her to be moving to slow for their liking. She was up to something.

Garrison rushed forward and gripped the back of her neck in a firm hold. He gave her a rough shove, sending her sprawling to the ground. She gasped in surprise and mild pain at the rough handling and she hit the icy street, face down. Garrison kneeled on her to keep her in place and his leg pressed into her back, keeping her down.

"We are not playing. It would serve you better to listen to us the first time and make haste to follow orders." He grit out. Another soldier rushed forward and handed his officer manacles. He gripped the elf's slender wrists and pulled them behind her back where they were placed in the iron restraints and cinched shut. "This could have been easier." The guard scoffed.

Once the suspect was restrained, he let up and gripped her bicep. The guard pulled her into a sitting position and ripped the hood from her face.

"I will ask you again, who are you and don't be cute in your reply." He crouched before the seated elf, taking notice of her pointed ears and the possessions she had on hand.

With a sigh of defeat, the elf came clean. "My name is Tauriel, sir." she said but resisted eye contact, ashamed that her actions had lead to this.

"Tauriel?" The guard questioned, making sure he had the pronunciation correct. The elf just nodded. "And where are you from Tauriel?"

The elf closed her eyes against the hurt in her heart that the question produced.

"Nowhere." she whispered.

"I said don't be cute." Garrison reiterated and he reached forward to her waist to uncinch the weapon's belt. The knife was removed from her position and the guard pulled it free of the case as he inspected the blade. He quirked a brow at her when he noted the broken metal and he assumed the uselessness of the broken weapon. He placed it back in the scabbard and passed it to a nearby soldier and he went about removing the quiver that was slung around her with another strap and then the bow. He handed them off too.

"I am not withholding information from you, I swear. I have no home, no place that I belong to nor heritage to claim." Tauriel whispered.

"What are you doing out here at this hour?" The guard crossed his arms, expecting their prisoner to be truthful since she was in custody.

"I told you... I am leaving."

"And why are you leaving? And where are you going to?"

"I assumed I could do as I wished. I am not in a prison." Tauriel said tersely.

"You will be soon." Garrison said factually and Tauriel huffed at the snide remark.

"For what?!" She suddenly heard Gimli's warning echoing in her head. It sent a jolt of realization through her, even before the guard answered.

"Well... suspicion for one thing."

"You are going to lock me up because you do not agree to the hour in which I choose to travel?" She demanded, showcasing her disbelief in the charges she was being handed.

"No…" Garrison countered. "I do not agree to the secret way you keep to, nor the unusualness to your claims. The king does not keep with outcasts so I have reason to think you are not being truthful to me."

"But I am!" Tauriel was on the verge of hysterics. It was always the case with her. As an elf, mortals never believed her and it was most frustrating. She knew it was useless to argue with them. They would believe only what they wanted.

"I am simply following the king's orders. I was told to apprehend anyone who acts suspiciously and if you have an issue with that, then you can present that to the king himself. If you *_really_* are a guest of his, as you claim to be, then you will have no issues getting out of this." Garrison cocked his expression, offering his theory up to debate but Tauriel kept her tongue. "Besides, I do not think you to be telling the truth. It looks as though you have managed to sneak in here and swipe a few things, hum?... Thief?"

"Thief?" She protested the single word with disbelief.

"Judging from your… appearance... this does not make sense. You are dressed in ratty, torn, soiled clothing, but on the contrary, your cloak is lavish and expensive."

"You think I broke into the place to steal a cloak?... What sense does that make?" She argued.

"You tell me."

"I did not steal a cloak!"

"Or how about the jewel used to keep it in place?" Garrison reached out and removed the elegant antler brooch from the nape of her neck. He held it up to the moonlight, noting the way the milky silver glittered in the soft hue. "It looks like rather fine materials…. Mithril, is it not? I wager this would fetch a pretty penny?"

"That is mine! It was a gift! All of it was a gift!"

Garrison gave her a disbelieving stare, silently asking her to spare him the lies he assumed he was hearing. The guard pulled the cloak off of her shoulders and passed the pin and materials to another soldier for safe keeping before he stood to his feet. With the help of another, they hauled Tauriel to stand.

"On your feet" the guard commanded with a satisfied smile. However, he looked off as he heard the approach of rapid falling steps bolting down the road.

"Guards! Guards!" The man yelled and everyone turned to face the newcomer who tore towards them. "There is a thief among us! He was trying to steal the palace's livestock!" The man stopped and panted from the exertion he forced upon himself to run as fast as he could to find the men. "The man fled and may still be…." He noted the person custody and looked puzzled at the person flanked by officers.

"Was he wearing a brown cloak?" Garrison asked.

"Why… y-yes… Is that him?"

"Her."

"Her?" The man asked in surprise. Tauriel shook her head to herself. "What business does a woman have stealing animals?"

"First, my gender should not define my conduct. Secondly, I was not stealing your animals!" Tauriel clipped. She could not believe that she was being wrongly accused for that petty crime. She would fess up to threatening nobility even if it earned her harsher punishment, but stealing animals was unheard.

"Oi, then what were you doing then?"

"I was being chased." Tauriel sternly stated. Garrison turned quickly to the elf maiden.

"I thought you said you were leaving?"

"I was. And I was being followed in the process."

"See how your story keeps changing?" The guard pointed out. Tauriel let out a miffed sigh.

"Who was chasing you?" The animal keeper asked the elf. He saw no one else in his haste to catch up with the guards and there was only one person in the animal pens. Tauriel did not say a word. While Gimli was pursuing her, the stout creature had not been mean to her and she had no desires to get the dwarf caught up in this mess. "Hey? Did you hear me? I asked you a question!"

"It is alright." Garrison interjected to put the animal caretaker at ease. "We have her in custody and she will be taken to the dungeons. She will not be a bother anymore."

"The dungeons?" Tauriel shot a worried glance at the guard. "I thought you said the king would try me for my crimes."

"Yes, but it is in the middle of the night. We will send him word but I doubt he will schedule a trial now." Garrison almost chuckled at the culprit's expectations. "Perhaps in the morning he will hear your case, although he is a busy man so it may take longer. You are going to the prisons for safe keeping."

Tauriel's jaw fell slack and she shook her head to try and deny this was happening.

"If you are unhappy about this then perhaps you should have thought twice before getting into trouble." Garrison gave her a mocked lecture.

"But I have not committed any crimes!" Tauriel wailed. From the sounds of it, they were unaware of her assault on Elrohir, but she would not confess to that to them.

"That is not for me to decide." Garrison handed her off to another guard and quietly ordered him and another to escort her to the dungeons.

"Will you be willing to fill out a report?" Garrison turned back to the animal keeper. "We can use it as evidence to convict her of her crimes."

"Er, well sure." The man did not know he needed to give his recall for the record.

"Good. Macendley!" The guard called to another and a young man made for his commander. "Take this man's recall of what happened." The young man saluted and went work talking with the keeper to get his story.

"You three." Garrison demanded of the men who were holding the perpetrator's things. "Bring forth the possessions you have." The men did as told and the captain took everything and began to study each item trying to find some hint to an identity that could shed light on the elf's origins, or evidence that the things were stolen. It was hard to see clearly even though the moon was bright so Garrison rolled everything up in the cloak and left that task to the king and his court.

"I will head up to the palace to drop these off and make them aware of what has happened." Garrison told the others. "Keep a watchful eye. Strange things are happening. I doubt her story... Others could be lurking about as she indicated she was being followed, but she would not state by who."

"Do you want a search party to have a look?" One of the men offered and Garrison thought on the matter.

"It would not hurt… Yes good thinking." He nodded in approval. "Have one of you go to the prisons. See if they have any men to spare to join the efforts. I do not want to risk any altercations that could get out of hand. Apprehend anyone you think to be suspicious, and that was the king's orders. Ask questions." The guard instructed. When his men nodded, they departed to run off on their own errands.


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter - 46

* * *

The prison door closed with a click and Tauriel was left standing in the center of a small underground cell. A torch was placed in a holder in the main hallway and the soft flickering light barely filtered through the barred door. Save for that lone torch near her cell, there was nothing else present to cast any light. It seemed the prisons were more shadows than anything and the darkness found underground felt like it was entering Tauriel's soul, pulling her already doleful mood further down.

Her long, graceful fingers wrapped lightly around the door's bars and she pressed her forehead to them as the soldiers who detained her walked off. She watched with restricted sights while the men headed out of view and left the dungeons.

"Please…" She softly croaked, wanting to beg to be let free, but she knew she would be wasting her breath. She halted her words, choosing instead to let out a heavy sigh.

The dungeons were a far cry from those of Mirkwood; they were cold, dark, dank and whole place held a stale tinge. It was filthy too; the stone floor was covered in a moist gritty gunk that sounded of muddied sand when ground between the floor and one's boot. The stone workings of the walls created perfect crevices to hold multiple cobwebs that further collected the dust.

An unsettling air resonated from the very atmosphere as other prisoners from down the way called out to any person within earshot. They begged to be let out while proclaiming their innocence to the felonies they were accused of, or they hollered out insults to the guards that they could hear, but not see. Tauriel was vaguely thankful that any company was kept down the hall and she did not have direct contact with the poor souls paying the price for actual crimes.

Quietly, she pushed away from the bars and walked to the back of the cell where she took a careful seat in the far corner on the dirty stone floor. She drew her knees to her chest and rested her chin upon them. Her eyes remained fixated on the cell doors, keeping her sights on the only bit of pleasantness that the torch light provided. But even so, there was nothing pleasing about the sight of stone walls and barred doors.

Her vision began to swim suddenly and she wiped her eyes quickly to keep her sights clear, but the reprieve only lasted a few seconds until the moisture came back. Despite repeated attempts to keep the tears away, they kept returning. It was a losing battle and she knew it. She buried her face in the crook of her arm and allowed her sleeve to soak up the drops that fell at their own will.

If only she had listened to Gimli…

But then again, what difference would that have made? Perhaps she would not be locked up for suspicious behavior, but surely her threat to Elrohir would not go unjustified.

Tauriel shook her head to herself, smearing the tears across her cheeks. She felt so alone. Emotionally, she had hit rock bottom and there was just no pulling herself out of it right now. Escape was futile, nor would she want to risk it and get caught sneaking off again. While she would take the judgment on her errors with Elrohir, she did not want to willingly put herself in the position of taking the heat for her first failed attempt of escape, then adding to it with trying to break away again.

She hoped her hearing would be soon though. She had no idea what punishment she could receive for this and the possibilities made her mind conjure up some dark possibilities. Knowing that a verdict on her actions would come, but not knowing when or exactly what they were was hard to take. All she could do was sit in the dark and wait.

It was difficult not to dwell on the tormenting thoughts of her hearing, but she tried to push past it to put her anxieties at ease. However, the only other thing she could focus on was all that had gone wrong since coming here. It was pure chance that she crossed paths with Legolas, but it was hard to take his word that he welcomed her, even though he pleaded with her to believe she was not the cause of his troubles. Then the scandal of the Noldor brothers left her reeling. Their games were cruel; it did not matter if Elrohir had an explanation for it, the bottom line was she was foolishly tricked and her humiliation ate at her, not to mention she brought shame upon herself for lashing out in the worst way possible.

Now, she was completely alone and locked up in a foreign, underground prison that could possibly be deemed her place of residency for the next few years if the king of Gondor saw it fit.

"Oh..." She took a hiccupping breath and began to rock herself lightly in her corner. She could feel the moisture of tears seeping through the thick materials of her sleeve. "What have I done?... What have I done?"

There was no telling how long she sat in the corner crying, for there was no way to mark the time. However, it did pass. The longing calls from the other prisoners had hushed and the dark halls were overcome by an eerie quiet. To the elf, her sobbing sounded loud in a place void of all other sounds and she did her best to stop.

Eventually Tauriel took a few deep calming breaths, doing her best to gain her composure. She sat up and brushed her fingers across her cheeks, removing the tears that kept coming. She leaned back against the wall and rested her head on it, looking at the low rock ceiling that reflected only the faintest bit of light within the damp moisture that collected on the shale-gray stones. She sought the light once more, but closed her eyes to block the unsightly image of barred doors that continued to remind her she was in this whole mess.

She let out another sigh, but her hearing perked as the sounds of many, heavy, troubled steps began to march down the hall. She held her breath and listened, trying to make out the source of the odd cadence, but her blood ran cold when she could make out the words that were being grit out due to anger.

"Get yer hands off 'a me! I've done nothin' wrong! Is this how you treat royalty and your own king's guest?!"

Tauriel's head snapped up as she recognized the irate voice demanding to be let free. It was Gimli. Her heart absolutely dropped. Why was Gimli here?!

"I said get yer hands *_off_* me!" the dwarf shouted, but the guards that had him made no sound. They clenched their jaw as they manhandled the writhing dwarf down the dark walk and stopped him beside the cell next to Tauriel's. The hinges on the grated door screeched when opened and the soldiers used all of their strength to hold the dwarf within their custody.

"Was he searched?" One soldier asked his comrade.

"I do not know. The others just handed him off to us to be placed in a holding cell."

"Pat him down then. Make sure he is clear of all possessions."

"What part of get your hands off of me don't ya' understand?!" Gimli began to buck wildly, but the men had enough of his unruly behavior.

One of the soldiers gripped Gimli's shoulders and delivered a rough shove to the dwarf, pinning him against the barred doors as the stocky being let out an auditable 'ouff' from the force. The man leaned all of his weight on to the dwarf and brought a knee up, placing it in the small of Gimli's back to further hold the stout form in place.

The other men stepped in and began their pat down, feeling the thick clothing for pockets that would hide any weapons or instruments that could be used to pick the cell's lock. They found nothing.

The man holding the dwarf in place let up on the pressure only to spin Gimli around before pinning him back against the door so his front could be checked. One of the men seemed to have found something for he did a few rapid pats to the dwarf's chest before working the catches on the dwarf's clothing open to locate a hidden inner pocket within the burly dwarf's clothing.

"Hey!" Gimli shouted and did his best to keep the men away from his pocket, but the man holding him delivered a solid punch to Gimli's stomach effectively cutting off the fight that had been allowed to carry on for far too long.

Gimli began to slump to the ground, but the strong guard kept him upright against the bars to the dwarf's soon-to-be cell. Gimli wheezed as he sucked in the air that had been forced from his lungs, his fight momentarily forgotten. Quickly, the soldier's hand made it to the interior pocket and they pulled out two objects.

The first was a clay pipe that they promptly set aside, but the other object caused the dwarf to weakly resume his resistance.

"Hey!... That's… private..." Gimli managed to get out, but the words were panted as he was still trying to gain his breath.

The men looked to the object that was removed from the dwarf's person. In the dim torch light they could see a small mithril locket resting in the palm of the soldier's hand. The front was etched in the iconic scroll workings that dwarves were known to favor and while it had a metal loop at the top to thread a chain, this one was void of any type of cord.

The men looked to one another as if seeking some sort of permission to further their search.

"Open it." One of them commanded. There was no telling what could be in the trinket and to keep any danger from arising from their unruly subject, they investigated.

"No!" the dwarf shouted, but it was too late. The delicate clasp was opened and the locket panels were pulled apart. He watched in horror as the contents of the silver case fell out and landed softly upon the gritty stone floor. The men were intently looking for a picture, weapon, or even poisonous drugs that would allow any spy a fast, yet deadly way out. They failed to notice the three fine strands of long pale hair that slipped past their vision in the dark hall and fell at their feet.

The locket was turned over as it was inspected, but to the men, the item was no more than a hunk of mithril and they assumed it was kept for material value.

"Lock his things away safely and remove his belt… cannot risk him to self harm if he is a spy trying to keep his information to himself." the one presumably in charge spoke to his comrades. He then turned to the dwarf. "You will get these back after your hearing and *_if_* you are cleared of your charges." He said to Gimli as the locket was snapped shut.

"Oh, I'll be cleared alright!" Gimli nearly spat back. "An' when I am I-"

The soldier did not care to hear the rest of what Gimli had to say and turned to his men. He gave a nod to the one holding the dwarf and instantly, Gimli was kept from finishing his threat. He was corralled into the cell and the door was slammed shut in his face.

"Hey!" Gimli shouted to the retreating men. "You're goin' to be sorry for this! Mark my words! I want the names of all the men in your company when I get outta here, for I'll be pressin' my own charges against you bastards! Hey! Ya' hear me! You have no idea who ya' just locked up! You are making a mistake!" Gimli shouted to the men as they walked off, letting the dwarf curse them as they left the dungeons.

"Ah!" Gimli growled. He kicked the cell doors out of frustration then grabbed the bars in his thick hands, giving them vicious shakes. The unbending steel bars remained firmly in place and the dwarf succeeded in rocking his posture only. He pushed off the cell door and stormed off to the back of his cell, but paced back to the front of the bars, huffing all the while.

"No respect! Lockin' *_me_* up and treating my positions with no respect! The nerve of some people these days!"

He dropped to his knees by the door and scanned the hallway on the other side of his barricade to try and find the golden hairs that were left resting there.

"Do ya' have any idea who gave me this?!" the dwarf yelled out, irate that his prized gift from the Lady of the Goldenwood now lay in a trampled mess on the filthy dungeon floors. "If the Lady Galadriel were here, I can't even imagine the spell she would place you under for th' foolish folly ya' just committed!" he yelled out, hoping his words were heard by the soldiers, but in the back of his mind he knew they were long gone by now.

The stout being kept mumbling his frustrations under his breath as he shoved his hand through the bars of the door. He stretched out to try and reach the fallen hairs, but they were just out of his short reach. He shoved his shoulder into the sturdy metal bars, trying to gain more distance with his range, but still, his fingers were just shy of the three golden hairs. His digits scraped in the fine muck that was built up in the hall, but it did not matter what Gimli did or how much he grunted, he just could not reach them.

"Come 'ere. Just a wee bit… more..." he puffed out, pushing into the bars and extending his arm to the point of pain. He just needed a little more reach to be able to get to them...

Suddenly, from behind the stone divide wall between his cell and the next, a long graceful arm appeared in the hall and the dwarf gasped in surprise. He pulled back and watched as the slender appendage unfurled its fingers to reach for the strands. They were delicately plucked from the filth on the floor and handled with care.

Tauriel held her hand out before the dwarf's cell, offering him the only things within the hallway he could possibly be after. Cautiously, Gimli reached through his cell's bars and collected his beloved mementos.

"Tauriel?" Gimli asked. He knew it was her, but wanted to be sure.

"Yes." She whispered, trying to keep her voice from showing any emotion, but even to her ears her response sounded pathetic.

"Uh...Th-thank you." Gimli huffed. He did not know what else to say to her right now so he turned his attention to his reclaimed possessions. He ran the three silky stands between his thick fingers to straighten them out, then very delicately, he wound them around his fingers to keep them from getting tangled. After inspecting the circle of hair in his palm, he tucked the item back into his inner pocket for safekeeping.

Gimli let out a huff as he looked about his tiny stone and metal cell. This was ridiculous.

"Well… I told ya' this was bound to happen, didn't I?" He said, but his voice was not exactly mad at the moment, just an unpleasant observation. However, he was making it very clear that he was right in his predictions as to what would have come about for sneaking around.

"I am so sorry Gimli." Tauriel whispered and a tear slid back down her cheek. "Are you here because of me?"

"Eehh, well, yes an' no." Gimli said. He remained standing at the cell door for he knew Tauriel was standing just on the other side of the divide wall. "I was taken in for suspicious behavior... after they already apprehended another who fit a criminal description." He said bluntly. It was not hard to guess who the other person was.

"I am so sorr-" Tauriel began to apologize, but Gimli wanted nothing of it.

"Why did ya' run?" he interjected. His tone was hard to read for it was stern and demanding, but was not exactly hard or angry.

"I..." Tauriel began, but back tracked. "...Why did you follow me?"

"Well, why didn't you listen to me?" he shot back. "I told you where the archery range was an' you didn't go there as you lead me to believe. I told ya' that you were goin' to end up here for sneakin' about and that is just what happened! Now, I didn't want to say anythin' back there, but it looked to me like you were headin' off."

Tauriel did not know how to reply to that. He had her pegged after she thought he had been fooled.

"Well?" Gimli asked. "Am I right... or am I right?" his tricky comment easily cut off any debate as it only left her with one option to agree with. Tauriel sighed quietly, but even the dwarf heard it. "Why were you leavin'?"

Tauriel thought how to explain. "It is time for me to go, Gimli. I have worn out my welcome and it is time for me to move on." She responded softly.

"Worn out your - why, that's just absurd!" Gimli was flabbergasted. He had no idea where this was coming from as the she-elf had always been welcomed in Minas Tirith as far as he could tell.

"It is time for me to go back home." Tauriel said softly, but exactly what that home was, was unknown to her.

"Now?" Gimli reproached. "Ya' mean to leave in the dead of night?!"

"Does it matter when I decide to take my leave?"

"Well... yes!" Gimli nearly cried. "Where were ya' hopin' to go at this hour?"

"I do not really know… As far as I could get, I suppose."

"Tauriel..." Gimli huffed. "I know you are capable for fendin' for yourself, but I think that even you can't deny that leavin' now is foolish. Weren't you once Captain of Mirkwood's Guard?"

Tauriel said nothing.

"Well... I know your old title whether ya' own up to it or not… Mordor is no more, but there're other evils out there... you know this." Gimli said and paused to let the words sink in before he picked back up. "Besides, did you even tell anyone you were headin' off? I can't imagine Legolas would agree with your decision-"

"I do not need *_anyone_* to agree with my decisions, Gimli."

The dwarf bristled and tensed up in his cell. "Ya' know, I'm gettin' mighty tired of you bullheaded elves thinkin' you can walk about as if you own th' whole place and ya' think ya' know what's best." Gimli said sharply. "I've heard th' line that you're thousands of years old, but age has nothin' to do with maturity! Sometimes th' lot of ya' act like children and it gets you in deeper messes!"

Tauriel pulled back from her door slightly as the dwarf continued to lay into her.

"Sure, no one needs to' *_agree_* with your decisions... but how could ya' do this to your friends?! Huh? Just, up and leave without any word?!"

"I have no friends here."

"Now wait just a moment!" Gimli's voice boomed from the cell next to hers. "What th' hell am I to you then?! Haven't we gotten to know each other over the past few weeks, eehh?"

Tauriel did not utter a sound.

"I know we're not close by any stretch, but I have come to enjoy my time with ya'. We certainly aren't *_complete_* strangers!" The dwarf paused to see if the elf beside him offered any resistance with his argument, but Tauriel did not say anything, only listened. "Besides, what about Legolas? Has he not begged you to stay here after proclaiming he has been searchin' for ya' for years? Decades even?"

"Gimli..." Tauriel tried to plead with him to stop. She didn't want to hear any more of this, but the dwarf would not relent.

"Shame on ya', Tauriel..." Gimli's voice was low and slow, guilting her into feel the words he spoke.

"I do not need any of your shaming, Gimli, for I have enough of my own to deal with!"

"Do you know how much this would hurt Legolas?... How can you do that to him?" the dwarf said. It was easy for him to get worked up over the matter concerning Legolas because he knew what the prince had been dealing with during the course of the past few weeks. Legolas did not need any added stress right now. He needed to be surrounded by friends and support, not people who vanished and created drama with false worry over their foolhardy choices. He thought Tauriel had some sort of understanding, but he was wrong.

"How can *_I_* do that to *_Legolas_*?" she spat back in disbelief. She could not believe Gimli found her at fault after it was Legolas who refused to talk to her. She knew he had every right to talk to whom he wished, but that night they spent in the garden wading out the dark hours by talking the night away had given her a fake hope that all would be as it once was between them. He had shown no animosity towards her, even after her dark confessions, but somehow that abruptly changed within a matter of hours.

It hurt her to the core that Legolas didn't trust her anymore. All that was left between them was a confusing jumble that Legolas refused to touch upon. She tried plenty of times to uncover the source of Legolas' raw hurt and frustration, but his constant rejection of her over the past few days tore at her heart. She was done. She could not take it anymore.

She dare not elaborate to the dwarf stationed beside her. She kept her pain to herself, but did her best to speak around the emotions that made her airways restrict.

"I have not done a thing to him." Tauriel said coolly. "Legolas can live his life how he wants, with whom he wants and he has made it clear I am to stay out of it."

"So you are saying you're to stay out of his life after he pleaded with you to go back to Ithilien?" Gimli recapped in a dubious tone to prove what she just said contradicted everything he understood. "He offered you acceptance-"

"Acceptance among our people." She tried to clarify that there was a difference. "And I thought it was an acceptance on his behalf as well. I… I am done being pushed aside and kept back. I have had enough of that while being here and I certainly have had enough of that from where I once called home. I do not hold this against Legolas, but I no longer want any part of this."

"What?" Gimli listened to her speak and a puzzled look carved deep lines in his forehead. He started to realize that she had everything mixed up in her head. Tauriel was taking Legolas' mood the wrong way. She was internalizing it as a dismissal of her, rather than seeing the whole picture that he was doing the same thing with everyone for very dark and disturbing reasons. "No, Tauriel. I don't think you understand-"

"No I don't!" She declared. "And that has been my problem all along! How can I understand what I am not told or even falsely told?! How can I be patient when I wait in the dark on matters?! How many times can I beg for clarification from him, but then be told not to concern myself with it?! To be reeled in then pushed away?"

"Because it's none of your business, that's why." Gimli said matter-of-factly. "How is it that ya' think you can just waltz right in here an' assume everythin' that has gone to pot has everythin' to do with you?... It doesn't. You're not th' only one bein' pushed away by him. We *_all_* have been dealing with that along with his... reclusiveness, and foul moods. It has absolutely nothin' to do with the actions that any of us have taken. Believe me, this truly has nothing to do with you."

"But you know of this… secret matter?" she asked almost bitterly.

A deep breath could be heard being drawn in as the dwarf contemplated speaking. "Yes… I know."

"So he would tell you, King Elessar, and even those… *_twins_*?" she said as if the term 'twin' was a curse. "..But he will not tell me?"

"Tell us?!" Gimli retorted. "No, Lass…. The only reason why we know is because Aragorn an' I witnessed it. You can rest assured that had we not seen it, he would be suffering alone in miserable silence right now."

Tauriel flinched at the words the dwarf spoke. How could she rest easily over that? How could that comfort her? It was obvious Gimli thought her to be heartless.

"None of us would've known." Gimli continued. His friendly voice that she had come to know and welcome was now cold and disappointed and it left her with growing guilt. "So you are not exactly being *_left out_* of something grandly exclusive as you presumed to be. This is serious."

That just did not make sense to Tauriel. Why would Legolas keep something so horrific from others if he needed their help and support? However, that was not the only time she heard it. "Elessar told me the same thing." She nearly whispered.

"Then what more information do ya' need than that?!" Gimli questioned sharply. "Listen, I can't tell you what happened, I wouldn't do that, but I will say this…. an' I hope that you listen, an' listen good!" Gimli said with stern words. He was getting angry with the elf beside him. She was acting very selfish. "Knowin' what happened to him is *_not_* a privilege, nor is it anyone's right. If he wants to exclude you, he shouldn't be faulted for that. He should have that wish granted… The crime committed against him disgusts me to th' very core. Count yourself lucky that you're spared the details."

The two stood by their respective doors but didn't speak much. Tauriel was trying to piece things together. What crime could have been so horrific to make him this miserable? What details should she have been spared?

A jolt ran through her as her mind suddenly snapped to an idea and her stomach dropped. Legolas looked so lost every time she saw him. Maybe… he lost someone? One of their old friends from Mirkwood perhaps? And he witnessed it?

Oh heavens…

She knew she was only speculating, but the thought didn't exactly sound outlandish. After all, he was a hero of the the War of the Ring that transpired not long ago. It was known that many lives were lost in battle and orc raids and she knew exactly what it felt like to lose someone close to the heart during war-

No!

Did Legolas…? Had he...?

An image similar to her past replayed in her mind as she dreamt up a scene of Legolas holding a fallen ellith who had given her life to protect her land, her people, and her love. He sobbed over her as his world shattered on a bloody battle field that already reeked of death.

Tauriel was all too familiar with that heart wrenching feeling and her tears came flooding back as the thought of Legolas suffering through that ordeal mixed with her own heart's loss. Tauriel was heartbroken.

Then, it dawned on her that the ache in her heart was for more than one reason… She knew exactly what that type of loss felt like. No wonder he was so crushed.

But a different hurt flared and it vaguely stunned her… Legolas potentially found someone else?

She felt her heart falling.

However, the dwarf was right; that was none of her business.

Gimli was trying to work his distaste away after hearing of Tauriel's self-centered ideologies, but he could not dismiss it easily. "Is that why you were goin' to leave?" Gimli asked as he broke the silence.

"Pardon?" Tauriel was yanked from her wildly running imagination. She thought their conversation on the matter was done, but the dwarf wanted to drag it out.

"Your feelings were hurt because Legolas wouldn't talk to ya'... You knew somethin' was wrong, but because he wouldn't confide in you, you decide to take drastic measures an' leave?... Why?... Ta; make him sorry?"

When Gimli put it that way, her actions sounded far harsher than her intent. But that was not her sole reason for leaving. Matters with Elladan and Elrohir absolutely pushed her over the edge and she was thankful she had that partly to blame.

"I also left because of my own matters, Gimli."

"And what was that?"

"My own rashness." She said and fell silent while she wiped the tears of heartache from her flushed cheeks.

"...Are ya' goin' to elaborate on that, or is that it?" Gimli pressed.

"That is it." She said without a hint of falter. Gimli did not need to know of her assault on Elrohir and right now she did not feel like talking.

Gimli let out a heavy breath and leisurely backed away from the cell doors. "Well, Tauriel, it is bound to be a long night." He found a relatively clean spot in his cell and he grunted as he crouched to take seat. "I have no clue when we're goin' to get outta here, but when we do, I hope you will reconsider disappearing."

Tauriel took a long draw of air to make her voice as impassive as she could muster. "That matter might not be up to me, Gimli." She whispered again as her emotions arose again quickly when her thoughts turned to her crimes.

Gimli rolled his eyes. He hated it when elves spoke in circles, almost like a riddle. If he was in a good mood he could tolerate it, but he was far from pleased now. If Tauriel would not speak plainly, then he did not care to listen.

"Suit yourself." Gimli shrugged it off. It was hardly worth his effort.

Tauriel too went back to her corner and all went quiet as the two waited to have their cases heard.


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47

* * *

It was late and the halls of Minas Tirith's palace were silent until a heavy breath pushed the sill air as Elrohir walked about.

He did not know what he was really doing but ambled down the halls without cause. It felt much better to be on the move rather than stationary. He concentrated on each of his muted steps as they carried him over the bland stone floors, however, his mind's distraction was only mild at best. Thoughts of his misery welled up from time to time and he could not help but dwell on the details that developed over the last few hours.

He was still pissed at his twin brother and could not fathom an end to his bitterness towards Elladan right now. He knew they could not stay at odds forever, but in all honesty, the idea did not sound too bad.

Then there was Arwen's advice that he chose to ignore. He felt slightly cheated from his discussions with her, thinking she of all people would encourage him to follow his heart since she faced those hardships for years with Aragorn. But Arwen told him to give up on his heart's desires. How could she say that? Shouldn't you always fight for love and never give up on them? It certainly worked out for his sister, why could it not work out for him?

It felt as though everyone was against him; Elladan, Arwen…and while Estel was kept at bay on the matter and did not have much to say on it, his lacking support did not help much.

There was only one person who agreed with his decisions and spoke the words his heart and mind wanted to hear. Only one person encouraged him to go after Tauriel, offering him hope with the belief that the two could get along and find joy in one another.

That was Legolas.

But that in itself became mutilated logic. Legolas was suffering with his own trauma and yet the prince pushed his massive woes aside to encouraged Elrohir to pursue Tauriel.

How could Elrohir stop ow? How could he just step aside and allow the one he wanted to be swept away?

Then again, that decision was made for him. Tauriel made it far too clear that he needed to keep his distance and his neck began to throb where her broken blade was held to it. He rubbed it lightly as he let out a sigh.

As if to make things even more complicated, Arwen spoke of a vision she had. How could that make sense? Surely Legolas would not give up his own heart's interest just to make the Noldor-elf happy - especially since the Mirkwood prince was struggling to find happiness and wholeness himself. If Legolas and Tauriel were an item, why would he take a step back and let Elrohir interject? Plus, he was able to do so with such incredible ease.

Perhaps the spark between Legolas and Tauriel had not been ignited yet? Or who could say that the vision would even come to pass? Yet, there was an infinite amount of time in the future. Who knows what would happen?

Or would there even be a future for Legolas?

The cold, dead appearance of the prince standing before the starlit window was terrifying to witness and even now the very thought of it produced a chilled prickle over Elrohir's skin. The elf swallowed hard.

How could he be wondering about these halls preoccupied by some she-elf while a close and dear friend - practically a brother - was barely hanging on to life in the same palace he was restlessly pacing? He could not believe that the dazzling Tauriel had made him so blind these past few weeks.

**_What is wrong with you?! Chasing one of the prince's friends while he is struggling?!_** Elladan's bitter comment from dinner drifted back to him. Elrohir had rarely felt selfish in his life, but right now he found no difficulties in knowing of its burden and he did not like it one bit. It made him feel sick with regret.

He was thirsty with the need to find some peace from the sourness in his heart, but despite the passing moments, he found that there was nothing he could do nor any place to go that would keep him content. This whole mess had to blow over like a nasty sudden summer storm, but the clouds surrounding Elrohir would not leave easily and he was drenched in the downfall of disappointment.

After walking a few laps around common halls and finding no hint of ease, he headed back to his rooms, deciding the best thing for himself was some alone time to think heavily over everything and come to terms with each of his failed outcomes. Hopefully a new day could bring about better prospects and a clearer mind to sift through the tangled mess.

He reached his chambers in no hurry and pushed the oaken door open to allow the darkness of his rooms to saturate his eye sight. He stepped cautiously inside and made his way to the hearth. He felt around for fine tinders and other easy to light particles to build a quick fire and placed everything in the log grate. He located a flint in the dark then turned to the pit to bring the two rocks together.

Just as he was about to strike the sparking rocks, indistinct voices drifted through the halls and past his open door. He gave pause for a brief moment to try and make out who was talking, but the tone, pitch and slight accents sounded foreign to the elf and he could not place a face with the spoken words.

The voices were slowly, but steadily getting louder as the people traversed through the halls. The upward inflection sounded as though it were an end to a question and it was answered by a frazzled, yet fair voice.

"You need to release him." Arwen stated as a light scold. Her hurried steps could be heard in the way her voice wavered while she marched through the halls quickly.

"Your Majesty, I beg for your pardon, please." One of the guards said uncomfortably as he did his best to stick to his orders rather than listen to what his queen told him. "We know not who he is. Our patrols have been placed on high alert for a spy-"

"There is only one dwarf in these halls." Arwen said back.

"Yes your grace, but we personally do not know him nor have we seen him before. We have no way of knowing if he is who he claims to be."

Arwen released a miffed sighed of displeasure. She understood the logic but wished there was an easier way to identify the prisoner in the cells. "Where is Lord Faramir?" She asked. The steward knew what Gimli looked like and could release the dwarf who was mistaken for a foe.

"We tried to locate him first, but do not know where he is. Nor have we seen the king. Our wish was not to disturb anyone, least of all you, but the dwarf's anger and demands left us doubtful. If the dwarf truly is a king's guest, we did not want to leave him there, but also could not risk any harm to any of the royals that are here on holiday by letting him free without confirmation." the soldier's tone begged for her understanding in the matter. They were pitted in a difficult spot and did not know if they should hold fast on the king's orders, or take the new ones of their cherished queen.

Arwen nodded and her hardened expression softened. These men had a job to do and she should not be upset because they were doing it. She felt terrible that a dear friend had been imprisoned, but she took a moment to remind herself that accidents did happen. At least no one was hurt.

"I am going to see if I can find someone to aid you in identifying the Lord of Aglarond. I would go myself, but I cannot leave my son."

The guards nodded in understanding and fell back to follow their monarch through halls until she came to a very specific door.

The queen tapped urgently upon the wooden panels while calling out to get someone's attention. "Elladan?!" She paused, but there was no sound coming from the interior of Elladan's rooms and she repeated the call with more tapping. "Elladan?! Elrohir?!"

Elrohir heard his sister's plea at the door several feet away from his own and he stood from his crouch to intervene. He stopped dead in his tracks as his brother's door clicked open. While he wanted to help his sister, he had no desires to face his twin at the moment and he did not know if Arwen let herself in or if Elladan was present. He listened.

When the door failed to open, Arwen did it herself. She knew there were occupants in the room from her previous conversation with Elrohir, but why no one answered the door was beyond her. With the authority of a queen, she let herself peek into her eldest brother's rooms.

"Elladan?" she called out softly and poked her head inside to take a look. The room was well lit by way of the fireplace and a few candles, but she could not find anyone until her ears perked towards the bathroom. A heaving breath was having trouble gaining its composure and Elladan could be heard doing his best to offer comfort.

"Easy, easy… _ssshhh_… breathe… slowly..."

Perplexed, queen pushed the door further open and entered. She walked cautiously to the bathing room and tentatively peered around the threshold of the door. The sight she saw shocked her and she gasped.

The small bathroom was crowded. Elladan was in a crouch as he tended to a hunched over blond form that choked and sputtered over a ceramic pot. Lose flaxen hair fell about the face like a curtain that obscured the sight of him, but Arwen knew exactly who it was, much to her dismay.

Her husband was sitting on the other side of the sick elf on the floor doing his best to offer support, but it was a weak attempt at best. Aragorn was battling his own sickness that another's retching produced. On normal circumstances he could have held it together better, but his pounding head gave him little leeway to offer much strength and his gagging reflexes were barely harnessed at the moment. He had a gauze bandage wound around his head and kept his face turned away while he held his throbbing temple in one hand. The other was mildly occupied as he rubbed the elf-prince's shoulders to keep the panicking at bay.

"What happened?!" Arwen could only breathe the words as she took in the situation and all who were present. Aragorn looked up as did Elladan, surprised by her sudden appearance. She knelt in front of Legolas unsure of what she could do to help, but with mothering instincts deeply embedded in her being, she set work with light care. She began to tenderly coddle the elf prince on the floor. The queen eased her hands to the Legolas' head and tucked the silken hair behind his flushed ears to try and provide him with easier access to air.

Arwen looked up to her brother who went to the sink to wet a cloth with cool water. He turned back and pressed it to the back of Legolas' neck. Arwen sought her brother's eyes wanting an explanation.

"We tried to get him to eat again." Elladan said in a low tone and the crease in Arwen's brow's deepened.

"Oh, Legolas..." She said sorrowfully.

The prince however, did not hear her. He was locked in his own misery and he was barely aware of anything going on past the pot in his lap. He could feel his hair being touched to be placed behind his ear, baring his pain-tightened face to those near him. He wanted to pull away from whomever it was, but even the thought of movement sent a surge of nauseousness through him. It was getting harder to breathe again as the pressure churned in his core and he sat there, unmoving, waiting for the inevitable.

Arwen eased up as the elf further hunched over the pot and heaved heavily into it. Arwen collected the sweat-damp blond hair and held it back, feeling the heat radiating from his head as the blood rushed to Legolas' face to suffuse his forehead and cheeks in a deep rose color.

"He is burning up!" Alarm crept in to Arwen's near whisper.

"Tis just flush from strain, not fever. It will pass when the bouts are over." Elladan quickly supplied his diagnosis, knowing what his sister was fearing.

Arwen removed the washcloth from the prince's neck and shook it out to lose the trapped heat before wadding it up and gently mopping the wood-elf's features with it.

"Do you have anything to help with the sickness?" Aragorn asked his brother. "He shouldn't have much else in his stomach. He needs to take some fluids if possible."

Elladan was reluctant in making the prince consume anything, but his foster brother was right in that Legolas could not afford to dehydrate. Any fluids lost needed to be replaced as quickly as possible and they had no other choice but to try. Elladan got up to search for the right substances. He made for the door to get to his desk, but halted mid step as two guards were waiting silently just on the other side.

"Uh..." Elladan began. He thought Arwen had come looking for Aragorn, but did not know she required guards or why there were in his rooms. "Can I help you?" he asked skeptically of the men who stood uncertainly with shocked worry.

Arwen looked up as her brother questioned someone else. She momentarily forgot about the guards who accompanied her and her errands. "Elladan, they came with me. I ordered them to."

"Why? What is wrong?" He turned back to her. It was unsettling that Arwen chose to have guards within her own home. It was not a good sign.

"It is a long story. I was hoping for help, but your hands are full. Where is Elrohir?"

Elladan shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.

Legolas involuntarily let out a weak moan of distress as his sickness was on the rise again. He bent lower to the pot, practically placing his face in it as his body severely tensed in anticipation. Arwen and Aragorn's attention was pulled back to the sick elf.

Elladan brushed past the guards while calling them away from the bathrooms. He saw the uniforms being worn and did not want Legolas to catch sight of it. He motioned with his fingers to follow and they moved a few paces away from the bathroom door.

"I need you gentlemen to wait here. What you just witnessed is not to be uttered to anyone. Understood?"

"Should we get a healer?" One of them anxiously asked. Surely the one getting sick needed help.

Elladan shook his head tightly. "No. I am a healer. He is in the best care he can get."

The guards looked to one another, unsure what to do, but they knew that was not their call. Knowing that both their king and queen were present, they let the matter drop. The royals could argue the point if they deemed it necessary. Besides, their king was a remarkable healer himself.

The guards nodded to the dark haired elf before them and Elladan left them standing in the foyer as he went to his private medicine supply. He began rifling through his stash of herbs to find what he was looking for. When he proved not to have what was needed, he went back to the bathroom and poked his head through.

"I do not have any. I'll be back…. Estel? Can you and Arwen manage? I will not be gone long." When the king nodded, Elladan took off and left his rooms to find what he needed.

Legolas continued to retch before the king and queen. His friends did their best by him, but their comfort went unnoticed. He was in absolute hell and each spasm that forced his body to expel his slight meal took him closer to the black oblivion of unconsciousness. He was far too weak to go through this now, but he fought against it anyway, pulling every ounce of strength he had left together.

When his stomach finished emptying for the time being, he gasped to regain his breath, but the stench from his stomach's contents wafted up from the pot and he choked.

"Here _mellon-nin_." Aragorn said and began to pry the elf's hands away from the container to be rinsed out. The elf was too unsteady to hold on to it and the man had little trouble in taking it. Aragorn stood carefully with a grimace to fight off his headache and slowly made his way to the sink to clean to pot out, leaving Arwen to dab the cool cloth against Legolas' face and neck.

Aragorn flipped the faucet on and allowed the container to fill with water so it could be washed.

"What are you doing here?" he asked his wife quietly. This was not something he would want Arwen to witness but was glad she could be here to offer support. Arwen looked up from her gentle ministrations and saw the way Aragorn tried to nod to the guardsmen in the foyer and knew what he was really asking.

"It appears Gimli has been taken into custody." She said softly. Aragorn did not have to ask for her to elaborate. "The guards found him and thought him to be acting suspicious. They are following orders to detain anyone who is acting strangely and somehow they found Gimli to fit that description. They will not release him since they do not know who he is and I need to find someone who can identify Gimli. The guards could not find Faramir so they came looking for you and I answered."

"Gimli is detained?!" Aragorn was taken aback. "Where is he?"

"In the dungeons." Arwen stated calmly. Aragorn's jaw dropped slightly in agitation.

"Guards?" Aragorn demanded and hesitantly the men approached the bathing chambers and stood in the threshold to speak with their king. Aragorn turned the faucet off and swished the water around in the pot as he spoke with his men.

"The dwarf you detained... Is it Gimli?"

"Uh. Your highness, we do not know, sir. " The guard gave a shallow bow as his seriousness tracked into his repetitive speech.

"What does he look like?" Aragorn ordered.

"Uh.. well… he uh... looks like a dwarf my lord." The other guard said, not really knowing how else to describe him. They had seen other dwarves before, but they all looked very similar in appearance and even still it was hard to pick out features of individuals since they were covered in so much wiry facial hair. "Long dark hair… long beard..." Was all the soldier could add to show he was not acting a smartass, but was lost in other ways to describe the one they detained.

"Have you not seen Gimli before?!" Aragorn's answer was almost a snap. How could they not be able to identify one of his closest friends who had been here many times before. Besides, the dwarf was recognizable on his own as a war hero.

"Estel..." Arwen spoke shortly to cut Aragorn's anger off. This was far from the time or the place for an argument. "They were following orders you yourself gave out." she said and smoothed the wayward strands of blond hair away from Legolas' face. The woodland prince slowly eased his head to hands, using the shaky numb digits to hold his head that felt impossible to support on his own. He took in a wobbly breath and Arwen turned back to him, whispering too softly to the elf for the others to make out what she was saying.

Aragorn finished with the bucket and stepped to his wife to hand it her so it could be placed before Legolas again.

"I know they are following my orders but I find it hard to believe they do not know who Gimli is."

"Your majesty we apologize if we have made any error in judgment, sir. We stand before you and will take any punishment you see fit, my lord. But it is dark outside as well as the dungeons, sir, and we were just following orders to place him in the cell."

The guards edgy replies were spoken with haste while Arwen helped situate the prince. He was dimly aware of others about, but it was hard to concentrate on them with his tentative consciousness.

"Here Legolas. Sit up. I have the pot for you." Arwen encouraged as a light soothing whisper. She eased her hands under his chin and forced his head up to give her better access to Legolas' space.

Weakly, the prince opened his eyes trying to make sense of what was going on and who was talking to him. It was a far different voice from that of Elladan's. He saw a blurry fair face before him and Arwen smiled sadly to the woodland prince. Instantly, he felt what was left of his dignity shatter. Why was Arwen here watching his shameful display?

"Please." His voice cracked painfully and he tried to pull away from her to hide his face.

"Hush now, save your strength, Legolas."

Everyone looked up as a new voice added to the mix and Elrohir hesitantly came forward. He stood just behind the two guards who jumped at his silent approach.

"Estel? Arwen?" He had been listening to what he could decipher through the stone walls, but he grew tired of guessing what was happening and decided to come forward. He heard Elladan leave so that gave him a few free moments to check in on everyone.

"I am so glad you are here!" Arwen said only loud enough to be heard. She tried to smile to the youngest twin, but it just spread a line across her face rather than project false joy.

Legolas too looked to the new comer, disappointed that others were about watching him. His hazy sights fixated on the soldiers standing in the doorway and a shot of panic surged through him as the men stood rooted in place blocking the only entry into the small room. His stomach tightened again and his breathing hitched.

"No." he said with only a puff of air. He wanted to run, he wanted to get further away from the suffocating closeness of the strangers, but movement was limited despite his desperate attempts. Clumsily he scooted back and feebly struggled with Arwen's concern.

"Legolas. Stop. What is wrong?" She calmly followed him.

"Please… no..." He nearly sobbed with labored breath. He stopped his retreat only to grab the pot. His fears and anxieties created a stronger force against his stomach and he began to fill the pot anew.

"Oh no..." Elrohir said and rushed into the small chamber. "When did this start?" He nearly collided with Aragorn who was also making his way over to the elf. They huddled around him doing their best to help, oblivious of the reasons for Legolas' sudden alarm. Their care did little for the prince.

The cluster of bodies around him was uncomfortably close and Legolas did not know if it were friend or foe near him. He tried once again to get away, but the choking spasms kept him rooted in place and they would not leave. The wood-elf clutched the pot desperately and continued to heave into the bowl. Tears were squeezed from his clenched eyes as the severity of his episode filled him with agony. His stresses, new and old, caused him to tremble harder. His mind was screaming at him to run, his body would not obey and the panic of not being able to breathe properly while only having a loose grasp on awareness brought on the return of the nightmarish memories.

"Please." he tried to say but he could not find his voice and mouthed the single word instead as more volume was added to the pot.

"Please what, Legolas?" Aragorn asked as he began to rub the tense, curled shoulders once again.

"Them." Legolas could feel his cling to reality slipping and he stopped trying to speak to concentrate.

Aragorn looked up, finally making the connection when he saw the two soldiers. "Men! Step out!" He ordered and obediently the two guards left.

Legolas forgot what he was really talking about, but his fear remained with him through it all. One more spasm jerked the prince before he suddenly went very still. His overloaded senses finally fled him and he crashed to the floor unconscious.

His friends were buzzing around him now, but try as they might they could not rouse the elf.

"Elrohir, help me!" Aragorn grit out as he detangled the limp form of his friend from the pot he was once holding. "Get him on his side so he does not choke on his retching."

Arwen stood and backed up to give the renowned healers their space. She watched on with a hand held over her mouth to hide her worry while she brushed the tears away from her eyes.

Elrohir positioned the prince just so. The arm Legolas was resting on was pulled over his head to give his body streamline contact with the floor. One of the prince's legs was bent at the knee and was used to prop him on his side rather than roll onto his stomach. Elrohir lifted the wood-elf's chin from his chest, allowing him to breathe easier and keep his airways clear should the fits of sickness continue.

Aside from taking necessary precautions, all they could do was wait. Aragorn pressed his fingers to the elf's clammy neck and monitored the erratic pulse beating under his fingertips. Elrohir grabbed the used pot and took it upon himself to clean it out. In his path to the sink he caught sight of Arwen.

Her pained expression was horrified and she watched her husband go about his role as a healer. Her eyes were watery and she shook her head to herself at a complete lost as to what to do. She had remarkable healing abilities herself, but in comparison to her brothers and husband who took to it like their second nature, she could only do so much.

Elrohir set the pot in the sink. He could abandon that chore for a few moments. He made his way to his little sister and ushered her out of the bathroom where they could talk.

"Arwen, I overheard you speaking. I will go find Gimli and release him." He offered and Arwen nodded numbly without speaking. She was too upset over what she just saw. "Tis alright." He said and wrapped her in a hug while she buried her face in his tunic.

"It is not okay." She whispered. "Oh Elrohir." she sniveled slightly.

Elrohir pulled back and craned his neck so he was looking at his sister. "Arwen? Look at me."

The queen looked up, but her attention was diverted as the chamber's door opened and Elladan came back with an armload of supplies. He pulled up shot for multiple reasons, and looked first to Elrohir uncertainly, then to the teary sight of his sister.

"Elrohir." the older twin nodded cordially to his brother, but the greeting was still very reserved.

"Go to the bathroom and help Estel please." the younger twin nodded off as an indication.

There was a particular sound in his brother's voice that bode ill tidings and Elladan cocked a questioning glance at Elrohir before he marched to the bathroom. "Ai Valar!" He exclaimed and rushed inside to begin speaking with Aragorn.

Elrohir turned back to Arwen. "Why do you not take your leave now? I will finish up here and when I am able, I will go release Gimli." He looked to the two guards who stood awkwardly, not knowing if they should leave or stay. However, the elf that looked to them obviously wanted their attention and they perked up towards him. "Gentlemen, I will come with you and identify the prisoner you have. Please go to…" the Noldor-elf had to pause and think of a suitable meeting place. "Go to the Great Hall and wait for me there."

The men looked to their Queen seeing if she authorized the order and Arwen wiped away the tears tenderly while she nodded in agreement. The two Gondorian soldiers saluted, then made for the door, only too glad to have been dismissed.

"Come now Arwen." Elrohir encouraged and gently pushed her towards the door so she could leave.

"He is getting worse." Arwen stated. It was not a question and she spoke the truth that everyone already assumed.

"Do not say that." Elrohir countered delicately.

Arwen quickly nodded and took a deep breath. Elrohir was right. They need to remain optimistic. She calmed herself before she left and went back to her rooms to care for her son.

Elrohir turned back to the bathroom. Both Elladan and Aragorn were speaking softly as Legolas began to come to and shifted weakly on the cold stone floor.

The prince could hear light calls to him, pulling at his awareness and bringing him back. He moaned softly in disoriented discomfort and he forced his eyes open to see a dimly lit blurry world about him. There were others near him, but his returning senses lead him to believe it was Aragorn and the Noldor twins.

"Legolas?" A voice filled with so much compassion called out to him but he did not have the strength to respond. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, allowing his cheek to settle more firmly against the floor. The cool marble floor felt soothing to his flushed face and he concentrated on that spec of pleasantness.

The trio let the prince rest on the floor for they were too scared to move him at the moment. They were relieved however that as the minutes dragged on, Legolas did not heave. The stone floor broke through the flush that consumed him and it was not long before the prince began to shiver lightly despite his temperature only a while ago.

"I think it is time to get him out of here." Elladan said to his brothers who nodded in agreement. Aragorn began to shift the prince, but was stopped by his elven brother. "Nay Estel. You should not be lifting anything with your head injury. 'Ro and I can manage."

Aragorn got up and backed away, painstakingly watching as the twins lifted the blond elf between the two of them with very little effort. Legolas shook his head slightly in protest. He did not want to move at all.

"Easy now, easy."

"Where are we taking him?" Elrohir asked and Elladan threw his head to the side indicating further into his chambers.

"To the bed."

"Should we take him to his rooms so he can rest?" Elrohir asked as he shifted his grip to better support the wood-elf's head.

"No. He can rest here. I have all of my supplies in here to tend to him and you are close by as well."

Elrohir looked to his twin at that remark. Having his brother include him in any matter was far from expected and he glimpsed at this brother's intentions, noting any fuming spark from earlier had been extinguished.

"Come on! Help me 'Ro!" Elladan said. They did not have time to waste. Elrohir started out of his stupor and began to move in unison with this twin.

Aragorn made it to the bed first and turned the covers down. Elladan and Elrohir set the prince down gently before removing his boots and tucking him in against a stack of pillows to keep him propped up. Water was brought over but, the wood-elf would not take it for fear of having the sickness start all over. Even when herbs were added to it he made no attempt to drink.

"Legolas you need to take water." Elrohir encouraged by way of a chiding demand, but Elladan placed a hand on his forearm drawing his attention to him.

"_We will._" Elladan mouthed the words. He obviously had a plan in mind and would put it into action at a later time. "_Just let him settle._" he said without sound.

Aragorn brought the bucket over and set it on the nightstand should it be needed.

"How are *_you_*" Elrohir punctuated to the man and Aragorn tenderly felt the bandage still around his head.

"I am fine." the man said. He could not fathom his own care right now when Legolas was so frail.

"I doubt that." Elrohir mumbled and motioned for Aragorn to follow him.

"Well, I do not feel as confused or foggy." Aragorn tried to offer indicating that he was in part telling the truth. The only thing he could really tell was wrong was the soreness in his head that he was able to brush off.

"Here come to the fire let me check you." Elrohir said pulling Aragorn away to give his twin some space to see to Legolas. Using the light from the fireplace, he unwound the gauze and parted the hair that was plastered against his scalp to inspect the knot. Aragorn winced, but made no other sound.

"It seems the swell is starting to go down… finally." He grabbed the sleeve of his brother's shirt and turned him to the light of the fire, never taking his eyes off the man's pupils. The dilation was still there, but it was not what it was a few hours ago. "Well… you are still not cleared, but you are getting better… slowly. I deem by lunch time tomorrow you can finally take some rest. I'll put a new dressing on it just to keep the mess of the medication clear. It would be best of you could wash it out, but I am not all that sure it will feel too pleasant at the moment."

Elrohir guided his brother to the chair after finding a ball of swathing materials and began to wind the gauze loosely around his head. Moments later Elladan joined them. The eldest sighed heavily and rubbed the back of his neck in thought. He looked first to Aragorn, then Elrohir taking in everyone's seriousness while sharing his own.

This was bad. If stress and fading was not going to take Legolas, then another episode like that just might. And if not that, Elladan was unsure how long the elf could survive without food. He was already starved well beyond his elven strong limits.

"Any ideas where to go from here?" He asked, but neither of his sibling spoke up.

"Options are limited right now." Elrohir stated and looked at his twin with doubt clouding his vistage. Elladan mildly nodded in agreement as his eyes began to sweep away, but they snagged on the sight of his twin's neck and he scowled.

"What happened to your neck?" He asked. There was a thin red line along his vital area and the surrounding skin was pink from the scratch's irritation. Elrohir's hand flew to his throat, feeling the rough edges of a shallow abrasion he failed to notice before, but dismissed it with a wave of his hand. He didn't even want to go there with Elladan right now. Elladan looked to Aragorn. "How is your head?"

"He is doing a little better." Elrohir spoke for the king. "He is hours away from sleep yet, but the swelling is going down."

Aragorn shifted in his chair. He did not like to be the object of attention while there was another in deeper need of help. "I saw what you meant… about Legolas and the jerkin."

"...What do you mean?" Elladan asked, leery of how they could have figured this out.

"The guards who came in. Legolas saw the emblem and even through his sickness it caused him distress."

"Is that why he passed out?!" Elladan was near anger in hearing that this could have been avoided, but Aragorn shrugged his shoulders.

"There are many factors to this. I do not know that it was any one thing in particular." the man said to his eldest brother who let out an unsettled huff.

"Where is Arwen?" Elladan asked. The silence was unbearable and he rambled off questions as his mind raced.

"I sent her off." Elrohir stated.

"Is she okay?"

"She will be."

"Why? What happened?" Aragorn looked to Elrohir sharply.

"She is just upset over… all of this. I will go see to her in a moment… I told her I would make an errand." the younger twin looked to his elven brother and a faint smile crossed his face. "Gimli has been sent to dungeons."

Elladan's face went totally blank. "What?"

"Aye." Aragorn piped up though he was far from amused. "They are accusing him of being a spy."

"Could anything else in Arda go wrong this night?!" Elladan said and he rubbed his eyes slowly for dramatic effect.

"I should go release him." Elrohir said "There is no telling how long he has been down there."

"You make sure he comes straight to the palace. I am sure his temper will get him in trouble after being placed down there and the guardsmen will then have a true reason to lock him up." Elladan said with a light return, but it was cut off as a soft moan sounded from the bed. Elladan glanced at Legolas who was shifting around on the mattress. "Go release Gimli. When you are done… I... " Elladan stopped to find his words. "I would like your help... if you have time."

Again, Elrohir was astonished, but did not let it show. "Of course." Elrohir turned to leave while Elladan and Aragorn made for the bed.


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48

* * *

"Gimli?!" Elrohir called out, disturbing the dead silence that had taken over the dungeons. His faint steps were accompanied by the heavier tread of the guards following him as they traversed down the dark isles.

The dwarf sitting in the poorly lit cell lifted his head at the mention of his name. He honestly didn't think anyone would come for him at this hour of the night, but his notions were just proved wrong. Gimli pushed himself to his feet and made his way to the barred doors. He pressed his forehead against the cold metal to give him a better visual of the corridor on just the other side, but the one calling out for him was still too far away to be seen.

Tauriel heard the call too and her attention was focused on the doors, though she made no attempt to get up and greet them. No one called out for her so it was safe to assume it was solely Gimli who was being sought out. She trained her ears to every sound that drifted to her and she waited in silence for the people to draw near. She did not know the manner in which the dwarf was being called upon and she had no wish to share any more ill fates this night.

"Gimli?!" the voice called out again, this time a little louder and the strong smooth voice echoed in the eerie dank halls.

"Over here!" the dwarf shouted back. Still it was some time before the newcomers made it to their location, but Gimli felt relief flood him when his eyes landed on one of the Noldor twins. Behind him, two guardsmen pulled up as the elf made it to the doors first.

Gimli could never tell the twins apart, even when they were standing side by side, so he dare not attempt to name the one before him and get it wrong. This could be his only chance at getting out of here tonight and he did not want to risk offending the elf, causing the pointy-eared creature to leave him down here. To his credit, Gimli did study the ageless face, but the minute details that could give away the twins' identities was lost to the dwarf. He pulled away from the bars so the elf could open them.

"What do we have here?" Elrohir said slowly and feigned pleased surprise. Even in the darkness, his eyes sparkled with mirth. It was not every day you could see a proud dwarf in a cell and despite the heavy events that saturated this night, the elf could not help but find this slightly funny.

Tauriel could not see who it was that came down here, but when the droll comment was let loose, she easily pinned the voice to Elrohir. Her heart felt as though it had stopped beating and dread took over. Of all the people to come down here, why did it have to be him? Fate was so cruel.

Tauriel pulled further back into her corner and pressed her face to her knees as the noble elf teased the imprisoned dwarf. She wished she could melt into the darkness, but the limited light was only a temporary effect that could be lifted easily. She had nowhere to go in the tiny cell and prayed she would be forgotten about. Given the circumstances and her earlier action against the noble elf, she would rather face a jury and the king for her false accusations of being a spy rather than face Elrohir.

"I know dwarves prefer caves and stone work," Elrohir continued. "but I would have assumed you would not find this place suitable, even for your tastes, Mater Gimli."

"Ya' think I came here of my own free will?" He shot back and squinted to the elf in annoyance. The Noldor thought this was comical, but he did not. Gimli looked up to the dark haired elf that leaned casually on the cell's doors from the other side. His hands were held above his head, supporting his weight as they gripped the ledge of stone work that encased the iron bars. His offset stance was propped on one leg while the toe of his other foot dug into the stone ground. He wore a witty grin upon his face and he looked down at the dwarf with amusement.

"I learned long ago to never question a dwarf and their strange choices." Elrohir said with a casual shrug.

"This was far from choice, Lad. Get me outta here." the dwarf said calmly, but it was still an unmistakable demand. Elrohir had half a mind to continue berating the dwarf with teasing comments, but time was a luxury he did not have. His brothers needed help and Legolas' state was grim. He needed to get back. Without a word, the elf forwent the joking antics and pushed himself away from the door and turned to the guards.

"Gentlemen, you have successfully detained your king's guest. He is who he says he is. This is Gimli, the dwarf lord of Aglarond. Please…" Elrohir swept a hand towards the cell, prompting the one with keys to step forward. "...release him."

With a dip of his head, one of the guards came forward and shoved a large iron key into the lock. He fumbled with the old metal latch until a loud pop sounded from the interior gears causing the door to jump slightly on its hinges. The metal door screeched when opened and the guards stepped back to allow the dwarf the freedoms to leave.

Gimli stepped through the threshold boldly and eyed the two soldiers who refused to meet the dwarf's hard glare. They now knew that the stout being was telling the truth all along and they were beyond embarrassed that their platoon mistakenly arrested a high lord. To make matters worse, they were the only ones down here and would likely be the ones to take the heat for everyone's wrong doings. They did their best to stay clear of the dwarf, but the halls were not vast and everyone stood in the cramped underground tunnel with awkward frustrations.

Tensions were thick.

The wad of prison keys jingled slightly as the guard in charge of them fumbled to attached them to his hip and his apprehension caused his movements to become clumsy. The thin leather cord used to tie it to his belt kept unraveling with his nervous efforts but finally, he managed to tie it off hastily. He looked to his comrade rather than the elf and dwarf, trying to avoid the look of severe disapproval from the stout creature and his friend.

Elrohir grabbed the open cell door and closed it while casting a light smile to the dwarf to help offset any hard feelings.

"Shall we?" Elrohir asked and motioned with his head down the hall to get everyone moving. The guards were only too happy to oblige and they turned to start filing out.

"Wait!" Gimli's heavy voice rang out suddenly and Elrohir's steps faltered. He looked over his shoulder to quirk a brow at the dwarf who remained on the outside of his cell. "What about Tauriel?"

The easy expression on the raven-haired elf's face drained and he slowly turned to fully face Gimli.

Though no one could see it, Tauriel's eyes went wide in the dark and her heart began to hammer in her chest. The thumping filled her ears and she was sure it was so loud that everyone in the hall could hear it too, sending out a beacon of sound in the inky black shadows of her forgotten cell. She pulled in on herself, willing the conversation to drop, but it did not.

"What of Tauriel?" Elrohir asked flatly. He was caught off guard by Gimli's question and had no idea where this was bound to go. The mention of the very name shook the churning emotions inside and he could not tell if he was upset, or angry at the thought of her. Perhaps it was both.

"Are ya' not goin' to let her out? Is she to remain here?"

Elrohir shook his head. It was obvious he was lost. "What do you mean - what are you saying?" he asked for clarification.

Gimli kept a skeptical eye on the Noldor elf before him as he slowly backed up to gain Tauriel's cell. He glanced about in the dark, but his eyes were not that of an elf's and all he could see was a dark, hunched figure in the shadows. He brought his thick hands to his face to shield his eyes from the glowing torch light so he could try and see about in the darkness.

"Tauriel?" He called out. Gimli knew she was in there, but since their heated exchange earlier they had not spoken to one another. Of course Tauriel could hear every word that passed between himself and the Noldor twin, so why she remained silent when her freedom was on the line made no sense to the dwarf.

Tauriel looked briefly to Gimli who was cupping his eyes while pressing in close to try and see her. She did not acknowledge him. The light in the hall dimmed as Elrohir came forward. He too peered into the cell and the she-elf looked off quickly.

Elrohir was disappointedly stunned. He scowled at the sight of the forlorn elf huddled in the corner and his hand mindlessly went to his neck to rub the shallow cut he received from her broken blade. He was doing his best to try and let go of Tauriel, but once again, he was faced with her after a tragic blow up of his confessed feelings and her rejection.

Elrohir too looked off and his eyes wondered down the unoccupied portion of the hall. He let out a heavy sigh. "Why are you here?" he asked without looking at her. His voice was low as he did his best to hide his feelings, but in turn the lack of tone demonstrated his extreme sense of hurt and disappointment.

Tauriel placed her chin on her knees but she did not answer Elrohir.

"Tauriel?" the elf asked, but still, she kept her eyes restricted to the darkness. Tauriel's lack of regard towards him irked the elf. He did not have time for games and honestly he just wanted to leave. If Tauriel did not want to speak with him, so be it. He could not force her to speak to him. Besides, he could still hear her warning in his head and knew it was best to give up.

However, the elf's heart was too soft to simply leave her down here. Even though she made a threat against him, the heartfelt feelings towards the beautiful she-elf had not vanished in the short span of time. Letting go of her would take far longer than a few hours and though he knew she would not accept him, he wanted to do best by her. Besides, he owed it to her for his identity lie.

Elrohir turned to the guards in the hall. "Open the door. Let her out." he stated blankly.

Tauriel blinked in surprise and finally looked to the elf who was painstakingly keeping his eyes on the guards who were not moving. Why was he giving orders to let her out? Was he going to let her leave? It was doubtful. Perhaps she was to answer for errors… She did not know what Elrohir would demand of her or what kind of punishment he could legally deal her, but this did not bode well.

Her thoughts were interrupted by hesitant guards denying Elrohir his demands.

"I am sorry my lord, but we do not have orders to release her."

"...You have my order." Elrohir stated with bold authority.

"But you are not our king, nor queen." The guard shifted uneasily and the keys on his hip rattled with each fidgeted movement. "Lady Arwen and King Elessar agreed to let the dwarf out if he was identified-"

"Seriously?" Elrohir reproached with irritation. This was getting ridiculous. On normal circumstances he could appreciate the guards and their due diligence, but this was going to hold everyone up.

"I am afraid so, my lord."

A miffed sigh left the elf's lips and he thought fast to come up with a way to release Tauriel. "What are her crimes? Why is she here?"

"Suspicious behavior, sir."

Elrohir looked quickly to Tauriel and pressed his lips together in a displeased frown. "She is not a spy." He nearly barked. "She too is a guest among these halls to that of your King!"

"I am sorry sir, but before we can release her, we need permission."

"You have mine!"

"You are not our king! We were given strict-"

"Bah!" Elrohir scoffed. "She is also *_my_* guest and I am the king's brother." Elrohir was trying to bluff by using his authority, but he spoke without really thinking until a quiet voice spoke up from the cell.

"No I am not." Tauriel stated softly. While she wanted out of jail, she wanted no part in being associated with Elrohir, even if he was helping her.

The timid statement caused Elrohir to turn sharply and he glared at her. He was doing his best to get Tauriel free, but she was not helping. Tauriel looked away from the burning intensity of Elrohir's shale-grey eyes.

The guards crossed their arms in opposition as they regarded the elf in a new light. He was trying to take them for fools. Elrohir's blatant lie compromised his integrity and though they dare not arrest the King's brother, they were not pleased that he tried to trick them in order to benefit a personal gain at their expense.

Elrohir knew what was going through their minds and gave up quickly.

_**Fine… if she wants it that way, she can stay here. What do I care?**_ he plotted in his head. He was over this. He was over her. Truth be told, he did not know why he was still fighting for her, especially after everything that had happened, but once again she resisted him and he did not have the will to try any longer.

"Very well. Gentlemen... Master Gimli?" He pointed down the hall indicating to start leaving.

"You're just goin' ta leave her down here?" Gimli stood his ground and crossed his arms. In his mind, the elf gave up too easily.

"You heard the men. I have no authority." The elf said indifferently with a casual shrug. "It is out of my control."

Gimli's jaw began to fall open, but his attention was redirected to the cell.

"Just… go Gimli." Tauriel said softly. She did not want anyone getting in trouble on her behalf and she encouraged the dwarf to leave. "I will just wait until a trial to own up to my actions. It will be well."

"But ya' haven't done anythin'!"

Tauriel's brows knit in sorrow. Yes she did and Elrohir could attest to that.

"Waitin' could take weeks!" The dwarf continued. Gimli looked between Tauriel and Elrohir, but the Noldor elf shrugged once again indicating he had no say in the matter, nor did he really care.

"...Weeks?" Tauriel repeated a little startled. She knew she could be down here for some time, but thought a speedy trial would be in order. Little did she know the heavy duties of a relatively new king and trials of common crooks was not high on a priority list.

"Come Gimli." Elrohir called out, ignoring the incarcerated wood-elf and the dwarf met his eyes with a level stare.

"Ya' need ta' do somethin'." The dwarf muttered to Elrohir as he saw no other option at the the time and got moving. He stalked past the elf letting his statement linger to carry more weight.

Elrohir shook his head to himself. Was the dwarf deaf? There was nothing he could do at the moment!

He turned to follow, but some explainable force dew his eyes into the dark gloom of the prison hold and he caught Tauriel's worried eyes from the deep shadows. Her rich emerald orbs were pained and the elf could tell that she was frightened, hurt, and completely lost. The stare shot straight through him, sending a zing of doubt through his core.

Elrohir gulped and broke the eye contact hastily. Quickly the elf turned on his heels and followed the retreating company leaving Tauriel alone in the dark.

The elf filed in behind the guards and he walked silently. The halls echoed their march and the chiming of keys swinging lightly in the limp cording rang out loudly in the narrow halls.

Elrohir locked his eyes on the stone floor as it passed beneath him, but his sights were not trained on it. All he could see was the abjected elf-maiden in his mind and the unsettled emotions began to churn again. It felt as though Tauriel's eyes were still staring him down and he burned on the inside. Gimli's order to rectify the situation came back to him and the elf scowled to himself as they stepped out of the dungeons and into the courtyards near the palace.

**_Do something?_** Elrohir argued in his mind. **_Honestly what is there to do? I cannot let her out. I tried and they would not heed me. What else can I do?... Pompous dwarf… As if I did not try… even after all that transpired between us this night… I did more for her than she deserves. Let her sit in that cold, gloomy cell. Her dark heart might find joy in the dank throws of the foul place…._**

Elrohir's steps began to stall. Oh that sounded terrible…

The elf took in a deep breath and let it out slowly and watched the way his breath condensed sharply in the open frigid air. It wafted up and above his head the elf looked through the foggy veil to the twinkling stars. Their strong presence bore down upon his consciousness and the elf fought against the urge to regret the way he simply turned on Tauriel.

Too much had happened in a short span of time. He became enthralled with her and easily fell in love. But it only took one night to shatter the joyous feeling. He was upset that that it would not work out but despite that, he raised his hopes one more time to try and snag her heart only to have her smash it. He had been hurt by her, rejected by her and now the very thought of her irked him.

But the bitterness he showed towards her began to rue him to the core.

She was driving him mad.

A soft tap sounded by the guards as they continued to escort the dwarf towards the palace and the elf looked away from the sparkling heavens to the unusual noise that no one else seemed to notice. As the men continued their retreat, a small heaped object glinted faintly on the ground as the starlight reflected on the shiny surface of the item. The elf approached with mild curiosity.

The toes of his boots stepped up to a ring of thick keys. Elrohir looked up quickly to the guards, noticing that the keeper's belt was void of its cargo. Elrohir bent to pick up the keys and drew a breath to call out, but another thought entered his mind and he paused.

**_Ya' need ta' do somethin'._** Gimli's command filtered through his senses.

"...No." the elf whispered to himself, dismissing the command. He would not do that. That was… That was… wrong…

But so was everything about this situation...

"_Ai Valar..._" Elrohir cursed quietly as his hushed words became misted vapor. Why was he even contemplating this? Tauriel *_was_* a criminal. She threatened him. She *_should_* be locked up!

But he had no intentions of apprehending her for her actions, so why was it that he could find it in himself to just leave her there to possibly be forgotten about? Besides, he had seen firsthand the state of the dungeons and they were not pleasant. Humans and Elves treated prisoners very differently and that became a little too clear with his trip down to the gloomy vaults to release Gimli. If the dungeons themselves were in that state, there was no telling how well a prisoner would be cared for.

Elrohir looked to the dark entry of the unwelcoming underground prison as he fondled the cold metal keys. He tried to push onwards, but despite the apprehension in his heart, he could not find it in him to leave Tauriel down there.

He closed his eyes and shook his head once more to himself. "I cannot believe I am doing this..."

The elf quietly turned for the dungeons. He ducked into the doorway and lightly hustled down the flight of stairs taking him deep underground.

There were no tricky hallways in this place, just a long aisle with many sets of barred doors and the elf made his way down the rows of cells with barely any sound.

One cell looked just like the next one and it was hard to remember the exact door Tauriel was being kept. He took quick peeks in each alcove, until he found the hunched form of the female wood-elf.

Her head was buried in her arms that wrapped around her knees and he regarded the dejected form, who was oblivious of his presence. Elrohir's worries about making a poor choice disappeared and his troubled heart softened. Even if she did reject him, he was glad he made the choice to turn back. No one deserved this.

He plucked the first key from his palm and the rest of the skeletons shifted in a chorus of clanks that caused Tauriel's head to snap up. Elrohir met her surprised stare evenly, and turned to fit the key in the lock.

The first key did not turn in the latching gears, so the elf withdrew it and picked out the next one.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. Her voice wavered as she sought to sound strong, but her uncertainty caught and interrupted her smooth words.

Elrohir did not even look up as he responded in a monotone inflection. "I… am not really sure." He admitted almost darkly.

"Elrohir…." She started to get his attention and the elf looked up, locking his eyes on hers, then went back to his task of opening the cell door with an unchanged blank expression. She understood the guards and their refusal to let her out and it had only been a matter of minutes that Elrohir was gone. Surely there was no sudden change of heart on the guards part and Tauriel began to dread what had happened in order for the elf to get the keys, or what was about to take place.

She could feel her hands tremble. This was not good. She was alone in a dark cell where no one could hear her with the exception of the other caged prisoners down the way. She had no weapons to defend herself, and there was no telling what Elrohir concealed in his clothing or what his intentions were.

"Please Elrohir." Her voice wavered as a shot a terror passed through her. "I am sorry. I know I over reacted and it is no excuse, but I would rather face the king in a fair trial to answer for my wrongdoings… please."

"You think I am here to claim revenge on you?" the elf asked softly as the second key was a dud and he grabbed the next one.

Tauriel was a little too apprehensive to answer and she watched with large eyes, trying to formulate a plan.

"Though I am not pleased with the way this night has gone," he nearly mumbled. "I am not here to seek retribution from you."

Tauriel could not believe it. If he was not here to make her pay for her violent behavior, then that would only mean he was letting her go… or so she hoped.

"Why are you doing this?"

Elrohir shrugged as he changed to the fourth key. "...Love makes you do crazy things."

Tauriel blushed and it was not from giddy excitement. She had been through this will Elrohir several times now and her uplifted hopes just became tainted. "Elrohir-"

"I know." he interrupted her. "I know your feelings and I am not here to try and confess any sort of longing for you. Just…" he paused and closed his eyes briefly as he curtly shook his head. "Do not make me change my mind." He said in a hurry, placing her fate in her own hands.

"How is it that you can let me out? The guards… they were steadfast in upholding their orders."

"...Let us just say... I found a lost opportunity lying about." He finally looked to her and flashed her weak threaded smile, then turned back to the keys. He picked out yet another unlocking mechanism and with little effort the key turned the latch and it clicked noisily to release its hold. He pulled the door open and stepped aside, keeping the doorway clear for Tauriel to exit, but the she-elf remained seated and made no attempt to leave. "Tauriel… come." He said to encourage her out of the cell.

"Are you… breaking the law?" She would take the freedom only if Elrohir would not be held accountable for her unauthorized release. She had already wronged him this night and having him apprehended on her account was not going to happen if she could help it.

Elrohir let out a chuckle at the irony. "You threatened nobility. Since when do you care about laws?"

Tauriel glared at the elf.

"I am letting you out on my own account and I would rather do it in secret so I do not have to explain this to anyone. I am needed elsewhere this night. If you would *_kindly_* step out, I can be on my way and you can be on yours." Elrohir said tersely and he peered down the hall as a precaution to make sure no one was coming.

"And what if they find out it was you who let me out?"

"I am the king's brother." Elrohir pushed a sarcastic smile across his lips. "What are they going to do? At most I'll receive a slap on the wrist and a scowl from Estel."

Tauriel remained sitting and contemplated the words.

"The sun is on a reliable schedule, you know." Elrohir huffed. "At this rate it will be morning by the time I get out of here. A little more haste would be greatly appreciated." the elf awkwardly looked about but kept his sights away from Tauriel. He crossed his arms impatiently hoping she would get the idea.

Slowly, Tauriel stood and cautiously stepped to the threshold. Elrohir held a hand out, faking cordial gestures to get her on the move. Tauriel stiffly walked past Elrohir and the elf pushed the door closed with a little more force than was needed. The metal door slammed back into place and the booming sound ricocheted down the long stone walk.

Elrohir cringed at the loud noise, but he did not say anything. He pushed past Tauriel quickly and began making his way out of the dungeons. Tauriel followed a few paces behind.

"I find that the palace guards are a little hard-nosed this evening. I would advise you to go straight to your rooms so you do not end up back here." He called out over his shoulder as he made his way up the flight of stairs.

"What about my things?" Tauriel asked. She was hoping to get on the move once she was released, but she could not leave the city without her meager provisions.

"What things?"

"I had my things with me and they were confiscated when I was apprehended."

"...I am not dealing with that right now. You will have to let everything settle before I can get those back to you."

Tauriel frowned. That is not what she wanted to hear. That put her plans of leaving on hold and she would rather get out of here in the quiet hours to keep her disappearance hidden as long as possible. Delaying meant she would have to spend at least another day here, if not longer.

Elrohir pulled up to the exit of the dungeons and peeked a cautious eye into the vacant court to make sure the coast was clear. He grew a little bolder and pushed his whole face through, taking in the sight of the exterior void of all people.

"Come. Quickly." Elrohir spoke just above a whisper and he set his pace at a rapid walk to get away. Tauriel did her own check to make sure there were no others around and she too followed Elrohir enroute to the palace. She watched as the elf before her lazily tossed the keyring onto the ground and left them in the open.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"That's where I found the keys. The guards will be looking for them, no doubt, and they will find them when they retrace their steps. I hope to be long gone from here by the time they find them. You as well. I'll say something to the king but in the meantime… just… do not do anything… stupid."

The barbed comment hit Tauriel, but there was no reason to argue with Elrohir. She abandoned her plans and followed the Noldor-elf back to the palace.


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49

* * *

Silence accompanied the two elves as they made their way back to their rooms and the still atmosphere was uncomfortably tense. Elrohir walked a few paces ahead of Tauriel who kept her sights to the floor. Neither elf wanted to even attempt to exchange words with each other and Elrohir's pace seemed to quicken when his twin's doors came into view.

The thick wooden entrance was approached by the younger twin and he knocked urgently upon them. Right now he just wanted to get as far away from Tauriel as possible. He put his back to the hallway as he reached for the knob, turning the latching handle and entering Elladan's private quarters without command. He slipped inside quickly and did not look back.

The rooms were very still and the young twin closed the door carefully so as not to disrupt the peace. He caught sight of his brothers by the fireplace and looked to each of them who were focused on his arrival. Aragorn was back in the comfortable plush chair while Elladan pulled the small wooden one close so the two could speak quietly. They gave no greeting, but did not dismiss Elrohir and so the elf began to walk forward.

He took a few steps inside and he was able to finally get a glimpse of the bed. Legolas was in much the same position as he was when Elrohir last saw him, although the prince was not moving and his eyes were closed. His propped up posture sank heavily against a stack of pillows at his back and the comforter was pulled tightly about him.

Elrohir pointed to the bed and redirected his attention to his brothers, quirking a brow to silently ask about the patient within the healer's care. He did not receive a response to his question, but Elladan motioned with a single hand for his twin to join them.

Elrohir studied his brother for a moment before he moved forward, trying to pick apart Elladan's aura to gauge if there was any lingering resentment from earlier. The last thing he wanted to do was dive into more negativity regarding his decisions to associate with Tauriel, but Elladan was hard to read right now and the eldest twin turned back to Aragorn at his side. All the brothers seemed to be in a pause, waiting for the other to make some sort of move or comment, but when nothing happened, Elladan disrupted the lull with a quiet comment.

"Are you going to stand there all night?" Elladan did not even turn to look at his twin. His voice carried easily through his room so it was safe to assume Elrohir heard it, which he did. The younger twin shook off the rigidness that became set in his stance and forced his hesitant feet to proceed. From the sounds of it, Elladan was far from being in a good mood and he mentally prepared himself for any outcome of this meeting. He looked one last time to Legolas to see if the elf stirred due to Elladan's snide statement, but then Elrohir pursed his lips to himself grimly as a thought came to mind… of course Elladan was not going to be happy. How could anyone in here be in a good mood?

The Noldor elf proceeded to the living area but remained cautious, even when picking out a seat in his very limited options. Elrohir made do with what was available and eased himself down on the stuffed arm of Aragorn's chair, satisfied that he was close to his siblings that would allow them to talk easily.

Elrohir looked to Aragorn... then to Elladan, waiting for any kind of remark, but conversation was sparse. He looked to the fire that was sufficiently burning away, then he looked about the room as his mind tried to drum up some means of a topic to speak of. He hoped his brothers would say something, but the blank expressions of Elladan and Aragorn were transfixed on the fire and it was easy to see that they had nothing to say to him right now. He could only speculate what they were speaking of while he was gone and he suddenly felt a flash of self-consciousness take over. What were they discussing? Him? Legolas?... Tauriel?

Elrohir gulped silently.

"So..." The young twin began and tapped his fingers on his knee absently until he could formulate a better set of words. "How is Legolas?" It was the first thing that came to mind, even though it was safe to assume that drastic changes did not occur. It was a start any way.

"He is resting now." Elladan's statement was simple and flat almost as though it were an automatic response and his mind was elsewhere. He never looked up from the fire and let out a deep breath.

Elrohir only nodded slowly to agree he understood that much when he entered. Though Elladan's remark was short, the words were not spoken harshly, but Elrohir decided to use caution with his twin regardless. He still did not know where he stood with Elladan and the last thing he wanted to do was inadvertently aggravate his brother further who had been sour all night. Rather than push for more information, he looked to Aragorn and studied the bandage around the mortal's head before he asked on the man's condition.

"And Estel?" the question was meant to be answered by Elladan, but it was Aragorn who spoke.

"I'm feeling better." The man admitted in a single breath. Again Elrohir only nodded. Conversation was hard to come by and the silence settled over the room with ease once more. The fire crackled softly and the bitter winter wind could faintly be heard through the thick glass windows as it pushed through a few leafless trees outside.

It was Aragorn's turn to let out a sigh and the man brought his fingers to his head. He felt the bandage that swaddled his injury, checking for himself the state of the swelling, but his observations were not worth a verbal update. He placed his hand back in his lap and finally shifted his sights to look at Elladan with expectant eyes.

Elladan could feel Aragorn's stare and it prompted the eldest elf to speak.

"I just… I do not know." Elladan said and it struck Elrohir as odd. No one had said anything, but realized his twin was probably on the same wavelength as Aragorn and had collected his thoughts enough to finally pick up where the two left off. The youngest twin sat mutely so he could piece together what was being discussed.

"Nor do I." Aragorn nearly whispered. "Again, sending him far away seems logical, but to alienate him from everyone might have the opposite effect. One stress versus another… besides where would he go?"

Elladan raised his brows while tipping his head, acknowledging that Aragorn just brought up a very valid point that he didn't even think of.

"Minas Tirith offers the most options for him if he hopes to stay in Middle Earth as he wishes. He has his strongest supporters here, which Ithilien lacks... And yet, he is in the heart of Gondor." Elladan spoke softly. "The region's emblem is proudly displayed across these lands. I do not see how he can remain here. Even if he were to return to Ithilien, there would still be the running risk of him coming into contact with your men, whether it be on patrols that border his territory or even messengers that are sent between realms…. He cannot go back to Ithilien and seclude himself and cease all contact with the outside world. It will doom him and his people. His royal duties will force him to congregate with many different people, predominantly from Gondor, and I do not see that as a possibility now. He may be able to act like he can hold it together as he has been doing, but like just now… it only takes one slip up on anyone's part for disaster to sprout. He can hurt himself… or others."

"But then that brings up the question of if he is even fit to continue leading his people…" Aragorn added with a weary sigh. "or even taking on the remaining elves from Rivendell. He cannot manage others and see to their well being if he cannot even care for himself."

"Aye." Elladan nodded grimly. "But 'Ro and I can manage the elves from Rivendell. We will find a solution for them. However, the elves already in Legolas' care will not be solved so easily. It will be a difficult subject to bring up on its own… I know Legolas is not power hungry, but..." Elladan shook his head with a shrug of loss. "How do you kindly demote someone who has been a strong and dedicated leader? Even if it is temporary… to be relegated over personal issues that have had no effect on his people…. I doubt he will take it well."

"Regardless, the right thing needs to be done - for both parties. The elves need stability and Legolas does not need the added stress of leadership." Aragorn looked over his shoulder to the bed to get a glimpse of the blond elf before turning back.

"True... and yet, how do we take that control away? Legolas does not answer to us. We cannot dictate what happens in Ithilien and appoint a new ruler."

Silence swamped the room as the man and elf toyed with a few ideas before Aragorn hesitantly spoke. "*_We_* cannot, but the elves can."

"How?" Elladan asked. He knew Legolas was well respected among his people and they would not agree with a new ruler easily.

Aragorn shrugged. "We need to talk with Valiändier. He may know better than us what to say or how to say it to allow someone else to step in for a time."

"While Valiändier is his friend, by profession he subordinate to Legolas. He cannot go against his prince or any of his demands if Legolas pushes back on the matter… nor would Valiändier *_want_* to go against Legolas... I think. Valiändier is very loyal and I believe it will be more difficult than you can imagine."

"But if he knew what Legolas has been through and what he is dealing with..." Aragorn's thought dissolved, letting his brother put his own mind to work to finish the unspoken idea.

"And you mean to tell him?" Elladan's dubious expression covered his face quickly, but then shook his head to the negative. "That in itself is a whole new matter. You know how upset Legolas was when he found out we were informed of his ordeal. Though he and Valiändier are close, Legolas would not want anyone else finding out."

"It is not about what Legolas wants at this point." Aragorn was quick to speak. Everyone had been lenient on the matter of allowing the prince to have his way in nearly all cases and that was partly why they were in this grave situation now. "If that is what it will come to..."

"That is stirring the pot, Estel."

"What other choice do we really have?"

Elladan shook his head, lost with any other alternative he could offer while Aragorn took a deep breath and shifted around slightly in his chair. Both went back to silent pondering, but Elrohir watched his brothers trying to find a way to break in and add offers. However, right now his own thoughts were too scattered as it was to really focus on half of a conversation then speak his mind.

"Perhaps Legolas and Valiändier do not need to be the ones to make the decision." Aragorn said softly.

Elladan's eyes became slits, trying to decode what his mortal brother meant. "Who then?... *_We_* cannot."

"The elves of Ithilien can."

The puzzled look on Elladan's face never faded. In fact, it seemed to deepen. His gut was beginning to tell him that Aragorn had a scheme in his head, but the elf's mind could not follow. He looked directly to Aragorn waiting for the man to elaborate.

Aragorn opened his mouth to speak, but shut it quickly, only to chew on his bottom lip. He was trying to find the right phrasing, but after letting the multitude of explanations roll through his head, he knew there was no way to make his plan seem ideal. He actually did not like what he conjured up, but so far no plans had been acted upon. This was a brainstorming session and all ideas, good and bad, had to be laid out on the table and viewed as possibilities.

"Just…" Aragorn started but held his palms up, pleading for an open mind. Elladan schooled his features, waiting for the man to continue. "Bear with me on this… but Legolas and Valiändier are only two people. If they do not allow anyone else to step in perhaps we can convince the other elves to… disregard them… Just for a time..."

Elladan closed his eyes as the very thought was dreadful. He bowed his head slightly to rub his brow slowly with stiff fingers. It made sense, but it did not sit well Elladan at all. "Then you are turning Ithilien into a democracy… We cannot do that. Once you change the structure of government, rarely does it ever go back to the way it was. It will only cause more problems down the road."

Aragorn sighed as he tried to accept the fact that this was his idea. He did not like it any better than Elladan did. Though this was a very dark plan, it was a choice they could turn to if they deemed it necessary. "It would be a worse-case decision… at least it would give him the freedoms to leave Gondor and escape major stress triggers... if all else fails and it came to that."

Elladan's lips pursed and twitched as he thought. He was trying to see the good Aragorn's plan, but all he could focus on was the bad.

Elrohir had been quiet the whole time, but the moment Aragorn offered his proposal, he couldn't help but watch his brothers with alarm coursing through him. He could not believe what they were plotting.

"Uh..." Elrohir started to get their attention and both Aragorn and Elladan turned to face the younger twin. "I do not disagree that something needs to be done, but if secluding himself in his own home is not an option - as you just mentioned - then secluding him far away is far worse! Basically, you are *_exiling_* him!"

"He would not be exiled-" Aragorn tried to clarify, but Elrohir would hear none of it.

"Shunned then - whatever it is you choose to call it... it is all the same and just as harsh... Push him out of here and on his own way to hope for the best while we stay here ad appoint others to take his place?!"

"Well... no." Aragorn backpedaled in his words. When it was said like that it sounded far harsher than he ever intended. "No! We would make sure he was well cared for and he could come and go as he pleases. And-"

"So you think it is far better to take a proud prince and turn him into a wandering nomad to protect others?!" Elrohir's voice was on the rise as he argued his point.

"Sssshhh!" Elladan hissed softly as his face creased in annoyance. The oldest brother turned to glance at the bed to make sure their patient was not disturbed before turning back.

"I did not say *_that_*, Ro." Aragorn's tone, though low, was getting a little sharp. "And I would not let him leave on his own and just *_hope for the best_*-" Aragorn sarcastically stated but he was not allowed to finish as Elrohir cut him off.

"You would go with him?" Elrohir quirked brow of disbelief. "Estel, you are no longer an unassuming ranger of the north. You are the King of the south. You have duties that must come first and your people need you. Unfortunately, Legolas cannot be your first priority. Your duties will always come first even in the face of family and friends."

"I know that!"

Elladan could easily see his mortal brother becoming frustrated by Elrohir and his accusations. The eldest elf stepped in attempting to put an end to the argument.

"'Ro, we've been speaking about this while you were gone It is just a thought at this point."

"I do not care. That's a terrible thing to even think!"

"I understand, but just because we are discussing it does not mean it will come to pass. We are trying to find a better solution, but it takes time."

"He needs to sail." Elrohir stated plainly. To him, there was no other real option for Legolas at this point, especially if his brothers were discussing an overthrow within the prince's own home.

Elladan's visage turned dark and he practically glared at his twin. Elrohir's proposition was offered a little too easily for his liking. "That is not our decision either. Legolas was steadfast that he did not want to leave when it was brought up last night." Elladan countered.

"Then if anything is to be overthrown, it should be his decision to stay in Middle Earth, not his keep over Ithilien." the younger twin mumbled. Elladan blinked a few times and shook his head to himself in distaste but it was not lost to Elrohir. "What?" He demanded.

"How can you say that so easily?" Elladan asked. "We want to help him and are doing everything we can but you pick apart our plans claiming we are casting him off when your decision is no different."

"He would be far better off in Valinor than here."

Elladan scoffed. "And how do you know? Have you sailed before?" The rhetorical question was tart.

"No." Elrohir offered plainly. "But _Nana_ did and it helped her."

"That was different, Elrohir. Nana *_wanted_* to sail. Her heart was ready for it. She asked to leave and _Ada_ let her go. Legolas, on the other hand, specifically said that *_that_* was a fear of his and he does not want to leave only to regret it. Sailing is a permanent decision-"

"Aye, and it could save his life." Elrohir pointed out as he interrupted his brother's lecture.

"Who is to say he would be safe there if he is not happy?" Elladan stated. "Besides, it is winter. He cannot sail now. Even if we *_do_* convince him to leave of his own free will, he must wait it out until spring. And what do we do with him in the meantime?"

Elrohir stared at his brothers while he processed the information. "But do you not see the folly in your last proposal?" He looked between Aragorn and Elladan to see if they caught on, but they didn't. "It *is_*_ winter. If he cannot sail, other modes of transportation are likely to be just as dangerous, whether it be by sea or land, especially in his current condition. Where are you going to send Legolas in the middle of winter? He cannot return home if his own people rebel against him... convinced to do so by his own friends..."

"Just… Forget it." Aragorn sighed. The plan seemed to get worse the longer it was harped over and Elrohir's constant dark distortion on the man's idea became worse the more it was discussed.

Yet, Elrohir forged on, continuing to belittle the proposal to reiterate his point. "He either needs to leave all together and go to a better place, or he needs to learn to cope with his surroundings and stress - not be encouraged to avoid it."

"What do you think we have been doing for the past month?" Elladan stepped in. His tone was on the rise to counter his twin and it made the younger elf reconsider how he was speaking to his brother. Elladan nearly snorted in annoyance but Elrohir ignored it.

"Honestly, we have not done anything-"

"*_Yes_* we have." Aragorn mumbled in protest.

Elrohir scowled. He was invited into this conversation and now he was not able to speak freely. "Not of any significance. We try and then Legolas gets aggravated so we back off. We have accomplished nothing. The first time any action of importance occurred was last night when you forced him to speak of his troubles."

"And we only just got that information not but a day ago!" Elladan snapped. "We want to give him a chance to remain here, not give up on him as you wish. If you were not so preoccupied with that displaced Silvan Tauriel, then perhaps-"

Elrohir stood and turned on his twin. In a blink of an eye his fists found a solid purchase in the materials of his brother's tunic and he hulled Elladan within inches of his face. There, they froze glaring at each other.

"Do *_not_* go there, Elladan. You know nothing of my feelings and thoughts… for either Legolas, or Tauriel."

"As far as Legolas goes, if you were a little more focused on him, then perhaps it would be apparent." Elladan gripped his brother's wrists and yanked them free of his clothing, pushing them away from him without breaking the smoldering eye contact. "With Tauriel, on the other hand, it *_is_* too apparent."

"You know nothing of what has transpired this night." Elrohir's lethal voice was low.

"Because I have been busy *_here_*." Elladan's brows jumped, smugly punctuating his remark while indicating his priorities were better set.

Elrohir nearly lost himself in rage but clenched his jaw to hold back. He straightened quickly and turned on his heel. He would not stay here and take this uncalled for backlash. It seemed every step he took in any direction, he kept sinking in a pit and could not get out.

He wanted out.

The elf made for the exit in a few long strides. He stepped to the side of the door as he swung it open, but his boots did not settle on the floor evenly. He chanced his angry glance to the floor briefly only to see the sleeve of Aragorn's tunic laying in the floor where he was currently stepping on it. He bent quickly to pick up the garment that Elladan demanded be taken off. He balled the dark materials up, letting the tunic take the brunt of his frustrations but it offered little comfort.

"If the mere sight of this causes Legolas so much trouble, how are you helping him by leaving it in plain sight?" Elrohir snipped. He just wanted to find any excuse to have the last word in this verbal battle and point out once more that Elladan was not as perfect as he was acting. Before his twin could protest, the younger elf tossed the shirt none-to-gently at his identical brother. "Clean your room…"

"Elrohir!-" The twin barked as he shifted fast to catch the hurled materials.

"Or better yet, set your *_perfect_* mind to work. Help him get over his issues with a jerkin since you always seem to know what's best and *_clearly_* you have *_all*_ the insider knowledge of his fears." Without another word, Elrohir stalked out of the room and shut the door in his wake.

* * *

_**Drama Drama Drama! :)**_


End file.
